“‘Do you see this cat?’ said Miss Simmonds to the head keeper.
“‘Can’t help seeing him, miss,’ he answered, ‘besides, we know him; he kills our birds and our leverets too, and we’ve seen him take a grilse out of the river!’
“‘Well, that is a pity; I just called to say that I was sorry, and that I will do my best to keep Joe at home, though this is difficult sometimes with a tom-cat, you know. But if he kills a bird or a leveret, you must let me know the amount of damage, and I’ll pay. But,’ she added, ‘you must not take the law into your own hands and shoot my cat.’
“‘Nonsense, miss!’ cried the keeper, pointing to a board on which was printed:
“Trespassers will be Prosecuted.”
“Dogs will be Shot.”
“‘That’s the way we serves dogs, miss, and it isn’t likely we’ll trouble about sparing a cat.’
“Then Miss Simmonds stuck her big umbrella ferule down in the turf, and took the big book from under her arm.
“‘Listen,’ she said. ‘Ahem! Corner versus Champneys. 2 Marsh, 584. A gamekeeper has no right to kill a dog for following game, even although the owner of the dog has received notice that trespassing dogs will be shot. In such a case as this, the shooter must pay the full price of the animal shot.’
“‘Didn’t know that before,’ said the keeper. ‘But, begging your pardon, miss, cats are not dogs.’