And there was Tillytuck sitting in his shirt sleeves! Was there really anything to do but die? What was one to say? Pat wildly thought of an article in a recent magazine on “How to Start a Conversation With People You Have Just Met,” but none of the gambits seemed to fit in here exactly. However, they were not necessary. The countess kept on talking in a frank, friendly, charming way that somehow included everybody, even Tillytuck. Pat, with a reckless feeling that nothing mattered now anyhow, flung conventionality to the winds. Cuddles was never long rattled by anything and in a surprisingly short time they were all chatting gaily and merrily. The countess insisted on their having some tea and Bishop’s bread with her…she was on her third cup herself, she said. Judy trotted to the pantry and brought back some forgotten orange biscuits. Lady Medchester wanted to hear all about mother and was only sorry she couldn’t see her way clear to taking a Silver Bush kitten back with her to England.

“You see one of your cats has already quite made up his mind to like me,” she laughed, looking down at the placidly heaving, furry flanks of Bold-and-Bad.

“And that cat don’t condescend to everyone, speaking symbolically, ma’am,” said Tillytuck.

Pat had a confused impression that it was quite proper to say “ma’am” to a queen but hardly the way to address a countess. A countess! Was this stout, comfortable lady, in the plain, rather sloppy tweed suit, really a countess? Why…why…she seemed just like anybody else. She had the oddest resemblance to Mrs. Snuffy Madison of South Glen! Only Mrs. Snuffy was the better looking!

And there was no mistaking it…she was enjoying the bread and biscuits.

“Cats don’t,” said Lady Medchester, smiling at Tillytuck out of her hazel eyes and giving the wistful McGinty a nip of sausage. “That is why their approval, when they do bestow it, is really so much more of a compliment than a dog’s. Dogs are so much easier pleased, don’t you think?”

“You’ve said a mouthful, ma’am,” said Tillytuck admiringly.

Cuddles, who, up to now, had contrived to keep a perfectly demure face, narrowly escaped choking to death over a gulp of tea. Pat, glancing wildly around, suddenly encountered Lady Medchester’s eyes. Something passed between them…understanding…comradeship…a delicious enjoyment of the situation. After that Pat didn’t care what anybody did or said…which was rather fortunate, for a few minutes later, when Lady Medchester happened to remark that she had had friends on the Titanic, Tillytuck said sympathetically, “Ah, so had I, ma’am…so had I.”

“The ould liar!” said Judy under her breath. But everybody heard her. This time it was Lady Medchester who narrowly escaped disaster over a bit of biscuit. And again her twinkling eyes sought Pat’s.