w that she
was going to have to struggle with her to save her from being once more
victimized. She had come to suspect anything that stirred Lady
Ryehampton to a noble phrase. Her eyes brightened with humorous
appreciation as she read the letter of Erebus; and when she came to the
end of it she opened her mouth to point out that Little Deeping was one
of the last places in England to need a cats' home. Then she bethought
herself of the whole situation, shut her mouth with a little click, and
her face went blank.

Then she breathed a short silent prayer for forgiveness, smiled and
said warmly: "It's really wonderful. You must have inspired him with
that enthusiasm yourself."

"I suppose I must," said Lady Ryehampton with an air of satisfaction.
"And I must be careful not to discourage him."

Miss Hendersyde thought of the Terror's face, his charming sympathetic
manners, and his darned knickerbockers. It was only right that some of
Lady Ryehampton's money should go to him; indeed that money ought to be
educating him at a good school. It was monstrous that the great bulk
of it should be spent on cats; cats were all very well but human beings
came first. And the Terror was such an attractive human being.

"Yes, it is a dreadful thing to discourage enthusiasm," she said
gravely.

Lady Ryehampton proceeded to discuss the question whether a cats' home
could be properly started with thirty pounds, whether she had not
better send fifty. Miss Hendersyde made her conscience quite
comfortable by compromising: she said that she thought thirty was
enough to begin with; that if more were needful, Lady Ryehampton could
give it later. Lady Ryehampton accepted the suggestion.

Having set her employer's hand to the plow, Miss Hendersyde saw to it
that she did not draw it back. Lady Ryehampton would spend money on
cats, but she could not be hurried in the spending of it. But Miss
Hendersyde kept referring to the Terror's enterprise all that day and
the next morning, with the result that on the next afternoon Lady
Ryehampton signed the check for thirty pounds. At Miss Hendersyde's
suggestion she drew the money in cash; and Miss Hendersyde turned it
into postal orders, for there is no bank at Little Deeping.

On the third morning the registered letter reached Colet House. The
excited Erebus, who had been watching for the postman, received it from
him, signed the receipt with trembling fingers, and dashed off with the
pr