"I will go and bring him down," cried Ethel, but the woman pushed her away.
"No, no! you must not go up there! He is only after my big cat! I will go myself, and drive him down!"
"But you must not strike him. Precious never allowed any one to strike him," Ethel called anxiously.
The woman did not answer; she rushed on, and caught up a stick in the hall. Furious with anger she brought it down on Kay's back.
There was a savage howl of pain and fury.
The petted mastiff that had never felt the weight of a blow in his life, turned glaring red eyes on his assailant, and sprang at her ferociously.
In a minute she was down under the huge paws.
Ethel heard the blow, the savage howl of the startled dog, the fall of the woman's body on the floor, borne down by Kay's strong paws, then strangling shrieks:
"Help! Help! He will kill me!"
The girl bounded up the stairs and saw the infuriated Kay at the throat of the prostrate woman.