I was punished though, and pretty quickly too. She looked dreadfully disappointed, and muttered, “Dogs is a purtection agin cats. Cats always licks me, an' you kin run from dogs, but cats is as quick as you be.”
“Oh, forgive me, forgive me,” I cried, “we have got dogs—two of the noblest creatures that ever lived.”
She turned very quickly toward me—the ghostly-looking creature under the bench—“Then you've bin lyin'.”
“I've only told one lie,” I said pitifully, “only one little lie. I was so anxious to please you.”
“Was that lies about what ye hev to eat?” she went on shrewdly.
“No, no,” I repeated desperately; “everything was true, but the dog part. If you come, you'll see for yourself.”
She still held out. She settled down under the seat as if she were going to stay there all night, and I grew desperate. Mona would get tired of her long wait.
“I'll have to go,” I said. “Oh, do come, do come and see what a lovely little mistress I have. Why, she will pet you like a baby.”
The strange cat said nothing. She just sat there, and with tears in my eyes I turned to leave her.
“If—if I possibly can,” I said over my shoulder, “I'll try to come out to you occasionally and bring you something, but I may not be able to do so. Oh! how I hate to leave you.”