property, and to the middle of the lake."

"Thank you. One more question: if you were my attorney, what could you
do to prevent me from being ejected from this castle, in case I did not
sign a new contract with the present owner?"

"First, I should take advantage of the law of possession, and drag the
case through a twelve years' process; then I should appeal, which would
postpone a settlement for three years longer. Would that be long
enough?"

"Quite!"

The count nodded a farewell to the youthful jurist without even
inquiring his name; nor did Audiat venture to propound a like question
to his future employer.

Bernat bacsi did not, as he had promised, return to the manor to tell
the baroness the result of his visit. He drove direct to his home.

PART III

THE MISTRESS OF THE CATS

CHAPTER I

When they heard the call, "Puss, puss!" they scampered down the roof,
leaped from the eaves, and vanished, one after the other, between the
curtains of the open window. It was quite an ethnographic, so to speak,
collection of cats; a panther-like French pussy from Dund, a Caucasian
with long pointed ears, one from China with wavy silken fur and drooping
ears. Then the window was closed, for the company were all
assembled--four cats, two pug-dogs, and a sparrow, and the hostess, a
young girl.

The girl, to judge from her figure, was perhaps fifteen years old; but
her manner and speech were those of a much younger child. With her
arched brow and rainbow-formed eyebrows, she might have served as a
model for a saint, had not the roguish smile about the corners of her
red lips betrayed an earthly origin. The sparkling dark eyes, delicately
chiseled nostrils, and rounded chin gave to her face certain family
characteristics which many persons would have recognized at a first
glance.

Her clothing was richly adorned with lace and embroidery, which was not
the fashion for girls of her age; at the same time, there was about her
attire a peculiar negligence, as if she had no one to advise her what
was proper to wear, or how to wear it.

Her room was furnished with luxurious elegance. Satin hangings covered
the walls; the furniture was upholstered with rare gobelin tapestry.
Gilded cabinets veneered with tortoise-shell held, behind glass doors,
all sorts of costly toys, and dolls in full costume. On a Venetian table
with mosaic top lay a pack of cards and three heaps of money--one of
gold, one of silver, the third