304 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
padded claws, look!’ she said, and there was a blood- 
stained trail that skirted the bushes and then ran 
across the lane toward a hay barn that now held only 
bedding and cornstalks. 
“You children amuse yourselves here while Tommy, 
Dave, and I follow this up.” 
Nothing could have been more simple than this follow- 
ing, as the footprints of the large cat, for that is what it 
was, showed plainly in the new snow, and, here and there, 
a few drops of blood also marked the way. Straight to 
the barn ran the trail, and then through a small door that 
had been left open at Gray Lady’s request, that birds 
might take shelter inside. 
So they had, poor things, and so had the cat also. On 
the floor were other feathers of many kinds, among which 
Gray Lady recognized the white-spotted tail-feathers of a 
Robin, the pointed shafts of the Flicker, and gray-and- 
white down that might have come from a Junco’s breast ; 
while half hidden by loose cornstalks was the foot of a 
Grouse, also yellow legs that had belonged to a good-sized 
chicken. 
The boys stood still in amazement, and Dave said, “I 
knew foxes and dogs carried things home or buried them, 
but I didn’t know cats did unless they have kittens hidden. 
I wonder if there are kittens in the cornstalks, and if this 
cat stole all the chickens we’ve been losing every day 
almost along since fall? Because it couldn’t be any kind 
of birds that stole them, they couldn’t get in; and father 
said it lay between cats, rats, and weasels.” 
“We will soon find out,” said Gray Lady. “Will you 
boys go down to the stable and ask Jacob to come up? 
