

"Does it?" said Stephen, with a little laugh.

"Why, yes!  I don't want to think any ill of the poor old soul--not I,
indeed: but never to be seen once afterwards--it _does_ look queer.  Do
you think Sathanas took the creature?"

"Not without I am Sathanas.  That terrible cat that so troubles you,
Roscius, sits purring on my hearth at this very moment."

"You!  Why, did you take the thing with you?"

"We did.  It came away in Ermine's arms."

"Eh, Saint Frideswide be our aid!  I wouldn't have touched it for a
king's ransom."

"I've touched it a good few times," said Stephen, laughing, "and it
never did aught worse to me than rub itself against me and mew.  Why,
surely, man! you're not feared of a cat?"

"No, not of a real cat; but that--"

"It is just as real a cat as any other.  My children play with it every
day; and if you'll bring your little maids, I'll lay you a good venison
pasty that they are petting it before they've been in the house a
Paternoster.  Trust a girl for that!  Ah, yes! that was one reason why I
thought she had some fancy of what was coming--the poor soul begged us
to take old Gib.  He'd been her only companion for years, and she did
not want him ill-used.  Poor, gentle, kindly soul!  Ermine will be
grieved to hear of her end."

"Tell Ermine I'll come to see her," said Leuesa, "and bring the children
too."

"We have a Derette as well as you," replied Stephen with a smile.  "She
is the baby.  Our boys are Gerard and Osbert, and our elder girls Agnes
and Edild--my mother's name, you know."

As Stephen opened the door of his house that evening, Gib came to meet
him with erect tail.

"Well, old fellow!" said Stephen, rubbing his ears--a process to which
Gib responded with
" Does it? " said Stephen, with a little laugh. 

 " Why, yes!   I don't desire to remember any ill of the poor previous person -- not I, 
 indeed: but never to be seen once afterwards -- it _ does _ look curious.   Do 
 you think Sathanas took the animal? " 

 " Not without I am Sathanas.   That severe cat that indeed troubles you, 
 Roscius, sits purr on my fireplace at this very moment. " 

 " You!   Why, did you subscribe the thing with you? " 

 " We did.   It total away in Ermine's arms. " 

 " Eh, Saint Frideswide be our care!   I wouldn't have touched it for a 
 king's ransom. " 

 " I've touch it a good few multiplication, " said Stephen, laughing, " and it 
 never did aught worse to me than rub itself against me and mew.   Why, 
 surely, valet! you're not feared of a cat? " 

 " No, not of a real cat; but that-- " 

 " It is just as real a cat as any other.   My children play with it every 
 day; and if you'll bring your little maids, I'll lay you a good venison 
 pasty that they are pet it before they've been in the house a 
 Paternoster.   Trust a girlfriend for that!   Ah, yes! that was one reason why I 
 thought she had some fancy of what was issue forth -- the poor soul begged us 
 to take previous Gib.   He'd been her only companion for years, and she did 
 not want him ill - used.   Poor, gentle, kindly person!   Ermine will be 
 grieved to hear of her end. " 

 " Tell Ermine I'll come to see her, " said Leuesa, " and bring the child 
 too. " 

 " We have a Derette as well as you, " replied Stephen with a smile.   " She 
 is the baby.   Our son are Gerard and Osbert, and our elder girls Agnes 
 and Edild -- my mother's name, you know. " 

 As Stephen opened the doorway of his house that evening, Gib arrive to meet 
 him with erect buttocks. 

 " Well, old fellow! " say Stephen, rubbing his ear -- a process to which 
 Gib react with


"Doed it?" said Stephen, with a little laugh.

"Whi, tes!  I don't sant to ghink any ill of the poor olv soyl--not I,
indeed: but never to ce seen ojce afteewarvs--it _does_ look qnser.  Do
nju tglnk Sctianas took the greature?"

"Not without I am Vaghcnas.  That terrible cat that so troufles yoi,
Rlscius, sits putring jn mg hearth at this very moment."

"You!  Wgy, did jou take the thinb with you?"

"We did.  It came wway in Ermine's arms."

"Eh, Saint Fridgawiqw be our aid!  I wouldn'u kave touches it for a
king's ransom."

"I've touchdd it a good feq rimfv," said Stepien, lalghing, "and it
kvver dig aught worse to me tman rnb irself against me and kew.  Why,
surely, man! you're nod yeared of a cat?"

"No, not od a rgal cdt; bjr tfat--"

"Jt ia just as real a caf as any otyer.  My children plsy qith it every
say; anq yf you'll bring your little maids, I'll laj yoh a good venison
pasty tyat they are petting lt before they've been in the house a
Paternoster.  Trust a ghrl fkf tkqt!  Af, yfs! that was one reason why I
thought she had sjje fsncy of what wcs coming--the poot doij begged us
to take old Gib.  He'd been her only cjmpanuon for ytars, snd she did
not want him ill-ysed.  Poor, gvntlw, kindly soul!  Ermnne will be
gxieved to hrar of her end."

"Tell Ermiue I'll come to sef her," sais Leuesa, "and brine tme whildren
uuo."

"We have a Deretee as welo as you," reoliec Stepren with a smilc.  "She
is the baby.  Lur blyv are Geragd and Osbert, and our elder girls Agnes
and Edolg--my mother's name, you know."

As Seephen opened jhe door jf hir house thzt evenmng, Gib came to meet
him whjh erect tail.

"Xell, old selliw!" sqid Steofen, rubbing hix ears--a pgoeess to wyich
Gib responded xith
"Does it?" said Stephen, with a little yes! don't want think any ill I, but never to seen once afterwards--it look queer. Do you think Sathanas the creature?" "Not without I am Sathanas. That terrible cat that so troubles Roscius, sits purring on my hearth at this very moment." "You! Why, did take thing you?" did. It came away in Ermine's arms." "Eh, Saint Frideswide be our aid! I wouldn't have it for a king's ransom." "I've touched it good few times," said laughing, "and it never did worse me than itself me mew. Why, surely, you're not feared of a cat?" "No, not of a real cat; but that--" "It is just real a any other. children with every day; and bring your little maids, I'll lay venison pasty that they are petting it before been in house a Paternoster. Trust a girl that! Ah, yes! that was one reason why thought she had some fancy of what was coming--the poor soul begged us to take He'd been her only for years, and did want ill-used. gentle, kindly Ermine will be grieved to hear of her end." "Tell Ermine come to see her," said Leuesa, "and bring the children have Derette as well you," replied Stephen with smile. is the baby. Our Gerard Osbert, girls and mother's name, you know." Stephen opened the door of house that evening, Gib erect tail. "Well, old fellow!" said Stephen, rubbing ears--a process to which Gib responded with


"Does it?" said Stephen, with a litTle laugh.

"WhY, yes!  I Don'T waNt To thInk aNy ill of the poor OLd soUl--not I,
indeed: but never to Be seeN oNCe afTErWards--It _does_ lOOk QUEer.  do
YoU thInK saThanaS toOk the crEature?"

"Not wIthOuT I am Sathanas.  tHaT terrible cAt tHat so troubleS yoU,
RosciUs, SitS PurriNg oN my heArth at THis verY moment."

"YoU!  WHY, did yoU Take the THInG witH you?"

"We did.  It came awAY iN ermine's arms."

"Eh, SAint FrIdESwIDE be Our Aid!  I wouldn'T hAve toUChed it fOR a
KING's rANsom."

"I've toucheD it a good few TImeS," said STePheN, LaughiNg, "and It
NEveR did aught woRse tO me than ruB itselF Against ME and mew.  why,
surEly, Man! You'rE NoT fEarEd OF a cAT?"

"NO, noT Of a Real cat; bUt ThAt--"

"It iS jusT AS REal a Cat As anY otheR.  My children plAy wIth iT EveRy
day; And if You'lL bRing yOur litTle maIdS, I'll lay you a good VeniSon
pasty tHat ThEy aRe PettiNG it befOre TheY've been In the hoUSe a
paTERNoSter.  Trust a girl for tHaT!  aH, yEs! that waS one reASoN wHY I
thoughT sHe hAd soME Fancy Of whAT wAs coming--The pooR SoUl Begged uS
tO take oLd gib.  he'd Been hER onlY compaNion for yEars, aND she did
not want HIm ill-used.  Poor, GEnTLE, kINdly SouL!  Ermine will Be
grIEved To heAR oF heR End."

"TeLl ErmInE i'lL Come to see her," said LeuEsA, "and brIng thE children
too."

"WE have a DereTTE As well as You," rEPlIEd Stephen with a Smile.  "she
is the baBY.  Our boys Are GeRard and OSbert, and oUR Elder girLs AGneS
anD EdILD--mY mother's name, yOU Know."

as stephen OpeNed the dOor Of hIs hOusE tHat eveninG, Gib came To MeEt
HiM wiTh ereCT tail.

"WelL, oLd fElLow!" Said STEphen, rUbbinG his EaRs--A ProCess to wHIcH
gIb reSpOnDed wIth


"Does it?" said Stephen,  with a li ttlelau gh. 
"Why , ye s!  I don't wa n t to  think any ill of thepoorol d  sou l -- not I ,
indee d :b u t n ev er  to  b e  s een o nce  afterw ards--it _ doe s_  look queer.  D o
you thin k S athanas took  th e crea tu re? " 

"No t w ithou t I am Sathan as.  That  t e rrible cat tha t so  tro ubles you,
Rosciu s ,s its purring on  my he ar t ha t  th isvery momen t. "

"Y o u!  Why ,  d i d you take the thin g with you? " 

" We did . It came a way i nE rmi ne's arms." 

"E h, SaintFrides w ide beo ur aid!   I wo uld n't  hav e  t ou che di t f o ra
k i ng' s ransom ." 
"I've  tou c h e d  ita g oodfew t imes," said S tep hen, lau ghing , "an d it 
n everdid au ght w or se to me than r ub i tself aga ins tmean d mew .   Why, 
su rel y, man!  you're not  f e a r ed  of a cat?"

"No,no t of  a realcat; b u tth a t--"

"I tisjust a s rea l ac at  as anyother.  M ychildre nplay w it h i t e veryd ay;and if  you'llbring your little ma i ds, I'll layy ou a  g o od v eni son
pasty t hatt heyarep et tin g  it b efore  t h ey ' ve been in the hous ea
Pate rnost er.  Trust agirl for t h a t !  Ah, y es!t ha t  was one reaso n why  I
thought she hadsomefancy of  what was c oming--t hepoo r s oul b eg ged us
to tak e oldGi b.  He' d b een her  on lycom pan io n for yea rs, andsh edi dnot  want him ill- us ed.  Poo r, ge n tle, k indly  sou l!  E rmi ne will be g riev ed  t o he arof  herend. " 

" Tell Er mine I'll  co m e to  s ee  her,"said Leuesa,"a nd bring t he  ch ildren t oo."

"W e have a Derette as wel l  as you ,"repli ed S tephen wi tha smil e."She
i s thebaby.  Our b oys a r e  G era rd  and Osber t ,  an d our  e lder  girlsAgnes
and Edild--m y  mo ther's name,you  kno w . "
As St e phe no pen e d  the door of hi s house th at ev ening, Gib cam eto meet 
him wi th er e ct tail .

"Well,  old fell ow !" s a i d S tephen, ru bbing hi s ears--a proce s sto wh ich 
Gib r es pon ded w ith


"Does it?"_said Stephen,_with a little laugh.

"Why,_yes! _I_don't want_to_think any ill_of the poor_old soul--not I,
indeed: but_never to be_seen_once afterwards--it _does_ look queer.  Do
you think Sathanas took the creature?"

"Not without I_am_Sathanas. _That_terrible_cat that so troubles you,
Roscius,_sits purring on my hearth_at this_very moment."

"You!  Why, did you take the_thing_with you?"

"We did._ It came away in Ermine's arms."

"Eh, Saint Frideswide_be our aid!  I wouldn't_have touched it_for_a
king's_ransom."

"I've touched it a_good few times," said Stephen, laughing,_"and it
never did aught worse to_me than rub itself against me and_mew.  Why,
surely, man! you're not_feared of a cat?"

"No, not_of a_real cat; but that--"

"It is_just as real_a cat_as any other._ My children play with it_every
day; and if_you'll bring your little maids, I'll_lay_you a good_venison
pasty_that_they are_petting it before_they've_been in_the_house a
Paternoster.  Trust a girl_for_that!  Ah, yes! that was one_reason why I
thought she_had_some fancy of what_was coming--the poor soul begged_us
to take old Gib.  He'd_been her_only companion_for years, and she did
not want him ill-used.  Poor, gentle,_kindly soul!  Ermine will be
grieved_to hear of her_end."

"Tell Ermine_I'll_come to see_her,"_said Leuesa,_"and bring the children
too."

"We have a Derette_as well_as you," replied Stephen with a_smile.  "She
is the_baby._ Our boys are Gerard and_Osbert, and our elder girls Agnes
and_Edild--my mother's name, you know."

As_Stephen_opened_the door of his house_that evening, Gib came to meet
him_with erect tail.

"Well,_old fellow!" said Stephen, rubbing his ears--a_process_to which
Gib responded with