Fly was rather
bewildered by this talk. It seemed to her that Phoebus must be a very
nasty little boy: he ate nothing but kidney and fish, his mother said,
and never a bite of bread with it.

Lull brought in tea, and when Miss Black had finished her tea she
became silent. Fly did not like to speak. She thought her godmother
must be thinking of something important. She waited a little while,
then, as Miss Black continued silent, she cautiously introduced the
subject of godmothers. It might, perhaps, remind the little lady of
what her letter had promised. She told Miss Black about the other
children's godmothers, and how lucky the others thought she was to have
a godmother alive and in Ireland. Miss Black patted her hand absently,
and gazed round the room.

"I know there is something I wanted to remember," she said at last.
Fly waited eagerly. She knew what it was, though, of course, she could
not say so. "I have it," said Miss Black. "I wanted to ask for a
rabbit for Phoebus. He has no appetite, these days. This morning he
touched nothing but his saucerful of cream. Do you think you could get
me a rabbit, my dear? Phoebus adores rabbit."

"To be sure I can get ye wan," said Fly, swallowing her disappointment.
"I'll get ye wan to-morra from Andy."

Miss Black got up to go. "That is kind of you," she said; "and, now
that I remember, I had a little gift for you, but I forgot to bring it.
Come to-morrow, and you shall have it. And don't forget the rabbit for
Phoebus."

"I'll hould ye I'll not forgit," said Fly. "We've been havin' bad luck
this wee while back with the rabbits. Some ould cat's been spoilin'
them on us. But just a minute before you came I kilt the ould baste."
Fly looked for applause, but her godmother's attention had wandered
again.

"How very pleasant," she said. Then suddenly she looked at Fly. "What
did you say, dear child?"

"I said I kilt an ould thief of a cat," said Fly proudly.

The godmother grasped her by the arm. "Killed a----" Her voice was
almost a scream. "Merciful heavens! what do you mean?"

Fly was frightened. Her godmother seemed to have changed into another
person. She looked at Fly with burning eyes.

"Wicked, wicked, cruel child!"

"I couldn't help it," Fly stammered. "I done it by accident." Had she
all unconsciously done some awful thing? Surely everybody killed cats.
They were like rats--a plague to be exterminated.

"What was it like?" dema