had gained her the name. The emotions of her deep, eager eyes were under her control. Her clothes were as successful and costly as she could contrive.
âNo, you are not hungry, Plautus. You need not show that wistful face.â
âHe has not finished his saucer of milk,â said Miss Burke, who had supplied him in this manner when he crossed her path.
âHe does not drink much milk,â said Hester, disturbing her ideas. âBut he knows there is fish for breakfast; so he does, the wise, wise man.â
Plautus walked to the table and stood with his face raised towards it.
âSo he heard what you said,â said Emma, in a generous tone.
Miss Burke hardly felt she could deny it.
âYes, you heard it indeed,â said Hester, speaking with her eyes on the cat. âYou do not let a word of mine escape you.â
âOne has to be quite careful what one says,â said Emma, suggesting the scope of Plautusâs attention.
Miss Burke, with an idea of establishing her position, offered Plautus a piece of fish.
âNo, no, dear,â said Emma, leaning forward. âYou will spoil his manners.â
Miss Burke looked up in question.
âHis beautiful manners,â said Hester, bringing her no enlightenment. âMust not eat at meals.â
âWhen does he eat?â said Miss Burke.
âYou did not know that Plautus had manners, did you dear?â said Emma, in sympathy. âYou donât understand a catâs code.â
Miss Burke rose to remove the fish.
âLet me help you, dear,â said Emma, earnestly, leaning back in her chair.
Miss Burke carried the dish from the room, and Plautus, following the code referred to, unobtrusively followed her. Both ladies looked at her as she returned.
âDid you give him any fish?â said Hester.
âYes, a great, big piece,â said Miss Burke, with a sense of catching the authentic note. âAnd he ate it all up; so he did, the understanding man.â
There was a pause that made her feel she had overreached.
âHe will think you are making advances to him,â said Emma, in a neutral tone.
âHe is not a cupboard lover,â said Hester. âHe does not respond to bribes. Only real love for Plautus.â
âHe will never get as fond of me as he is of you,â said Miss Burke, incautiously answering the thought behind the words.
âPlautus is fond of two people and no more. He does not dissipate his feeling. He will not welcome titbits from any hand but ours.â
Plautus returned to the room, paused for a moment by Miss Burke and proceeded to the fire.
âAh, he is an actor,â said Hester. âHe pretends he is like other cats, but he does not deceive us.â
âHe deceived me,â said Miss Burke. âI do not see any difference.â
âOh, naughty Plautus to deceive! Yes, you know you were doing it.â
âWell, Plautus, will you come with me to the kitchen? We shall soon understand each other, though you need more study than I thought.â
Plautus rose, looked earnestly at Miss Burkeâs tray, and again accompanied her.
âHe is a greedy puss,â said Emma, as though not repudiating truth.
âHe is too kind to make differences between people,â said Hester. âBut he knows them in his heart.â
âNow, Plautus, keep out of my way,â said Miss Burke, as she reached the kitchen. âI donât want you round my legs while I am at work.â
Plautus approached and rubbed himself against the limbs in question.
âYou understand nothing. You have no thoughts andno feelings. You are interested only in yourself, and you give me the shudders. You can remember it.â
Plautus raised his face towards her.
âYou will get nothing more until you have finished your milk. I donât like wastefulness, and I will not have it in a cat. Milk is your food, unless you are a wild beast. That is the truth about