The Slum Cat 
craved her freedom—would likely have gotten 
‘death or liberty’ now, but that during the 
four days’ captivity she had so cleaned and 
slicked her fur that her unusual coloring was 
seen, and Jap decided to keep her. 
LIFE II 
VI 
Jap Malee was as disreputable a little Cock- 
ney bantam as ever sold cheap Canary-birds in 
a cellar. He was extremely poor, and the 
negro lived with him because the ‘ Henglish- 
man’ was willing to share bed and board, and 
otherwise admit a perfect equality that few 
Americans conceded. Jap was perfectly honest 
according to his lights, but he had n’t any lights ; 
and it was well known that his chief revenue was 
derived from storing and restoring stolen Dogs 
and Cats. The half-dozen Canaries were mere 
blinds. Yet Jap believed in himself. ‘“‘ Hi tell 
you, Sammy, me boy, youll see me with ’orses of 
my own yet,” he would say, when some trifling 
success inflated his dirty little chest. He was 
35 
