The Slum Cat 
but no opening for her, till a big Tom of her 
own class sprang on a little pensioner with in- 
tent to rob. The victim dropped the meat 
to defend herself against the enemy, and before 
the ‘all-powerful’ could intervene, the gray 
Slummer saw her chance, seized the prize, and 
was gone. 
She went through the hole in Menzie’s side 
door and over the wall at the back, then sat 
down and devoured the lump of liver, licked 
her chops, felt absolutely happy, and set out 
by devious ways to the rubbish-yard, where, 
in the bottom of an old cracker-box, her fam- 
ily was awaiting her. A plaintive mewing 
reached her ears. She went at speed and 
reached the box to see a huge Black Tom-cat 
calmly destroying her brood. He was twice 
as big as she, but she went at him with all her 
strength, and he did as most animals will do when 
caught wrong-doing, he turned and ran away. 
Only one was left, a little thing like its mother, 
but of more pronounced color—gray with black 
spots, and a white touch on nose, ears, and tail- 
tip. There can be no question of the mother’s 
grief for a few days; but that wore off, and all 
16 
