"'Her sufferings are ended. She has passed to the land of cats,'
"'Poor Mrs. Barebones! and Robber Grim? Do you happen to have heard any thing of him?'
"Silently Mrs. Tabitha beckoned her to follow, and, leading the way to the orchard, pointed to a sour-apple tree, where Gold Elsie beheld a ghastly sight. By a cord tied tightly about his neck, his jaws distended, his one eye starting from its socket, hung Robber Grim—stiff, motionless, dead.
"They hurried away, and presently Gold Elsie timidly inquired after her former playmate, Tom Skip-an'-jump.
"'Don't, my dear!' said Mrs. Velvetpaw; 'really, I can not submit to be farther catechized. If you are truly grateful to me, Elsie, for the service I have rendered you, and wish to do me credit in the high position to which I have raised you, you must, you certainly must, break every tie that binds you to your former life.'
"'I will, Mrs. Tabitha, I will,' said the little cat; and never again in Mrs. Velvetpaw's presence did she mention Tom Skip-an'-jump's name,"
"And didn't she ever see him again?" Nellie Dimock wanted to know. "I am sure there was no harm in Tom."
"Well, but you know she couldn't go with that set any more after she had got into good society," said Mollie Elliot.
"Mollie has caught Mrs. Velvetpaw's exact tone," said Florence Austin, at which all the girls laughed.
"Well, I don't care," Mollie answered; "she was a nice little cat, and deserved all her good fortune."