To that Rose made no answer, and before Christabel spoke again she had time to notice that the cat had gone. She breathed more easily. The cat had gone, the trees were going and Francis was going too. Suddenly she felt she did not care. The idea of an empty world was pleasant, but if Francis were really going, the cat might as well have stayed. “Tell me what you did in Scotland,” Christabel said. “I showed Henrietta all the sights.” “Oh, Henrietta—she’s a horrid girl. She has stopped coming to see me.” “You made yourself so unpleasant.” “Did she tell you that? Do you think she told Francis?” “I know she didn’t.” “But I can’t make out why she should tell you.” “Henrietta and I are great friends.” “How did you manage that?” “I don’t know,” Rose said slowly. “What has happened to the cat?” “It’s gone. It went out and never came back.” “How queer.” “Some one must have killed it.” “I don’t think so,” Rose said thoughtfully. “I think it decided to go. I’m sure it did.” “What do you mean? What do you mean?” Christabel cried. “Had you something to do with that, too?” “Not that I know of.” Rose laughed. She was tired of considering every word before she uttered it. “With that too!” Christabel repeated a little wildly, and then in a firm voice she said, “You’ve got to tell me.” “But I don’t know. You must make all inquiries of the cat. It was a wise animal. It knew the time had come.” “I think you’re mad,” Christabel said. “Animals are very strange,” Rose went on easily, “and rats leave sinking ships.” A cry of terror came from Christabel. “You mean I’m going to die!” “No, no!” Rose became sane and reassuring. “I never thought of that. It might have known it was going to die itself and an animal likes to die decently alone. It had been getting unhealthily fat.” Christabel kept an exhausted silence, and Rose regretting her cruelty, aware of its futility, said gently, “Shall I get you a kitten?” “No, no kitten. They jump about. The old cat was so quiet. And I miss him.” A tear rolled down either cheek. “It has been so lonely. Everybody was away.” “Well, we’ve all come back now,” Rose said. “Yes, but that Henrietta—she’s deserted me.” “It was your own fault, Christabel. You horrified her.” “It should have been you who did that.” “Things don’t always have the effect we hope for. You said too much.” “Ah, but not half what I could have said.” “Too much for Henrietta, anyhow. I don’t think she will come again.”