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GRIMALKIN THE CAT 
struck him smartly across the face. Certainly love 
can work miracles, or else Grimalkin, King-Cat of 
Knockdane, would never have suffered such a blow 
quietly ; but as it was he only passed his tongue 
deprecatingly over his whiskers. Zoe eyed him 
to see whether he took his punishment with due 
humility, and then sat down to wipe her ears with 
her fluffy white paw. Presently Grimalkin rolled 
over on to his back, rubbing his tabby ears. A 
deep rumbling purr vibrated his throat : ' Prr-r- 
eaow ! ' cried Grimalkin, with that subtle inflection 
which cats understand to mean : ' You are alto- 
gether desirable.' Zoe crept forward, and Grimalkin, 
rearing up his tabby length, rubbed his whiskers 
vigorously against her cheek. She too began to purr, 
but very softly and evenly ; and by and by when she 
trotted away, she glanced back to intimate to him 
that he might follow if he wished. 
After that they often met. Zoe was the cher- 
ished pet of the Rectory, and was consequently 
shut up every night ; nevertheless she often eluded 
her mistress and stole down the whitethorn hedge 
where Grimalkin caught cockchafers a trick learned 
from the blackbeetles of his kitchen days. At 
first she was reluctant to remain out for long 
together. After a little excursion she would pause 
and turn back. Instantly Grimalkin would be at 
