Then followed a scene of appalling confusion.  Enid, completely losing control of herself, screamed and screamed and screamed.

Few people, fortunately for themselves, have ever heard a woman scream, and some of those present felt they would never forget the sound.  In the minds of most of the grown-up people there was the same unspoken question—­had the cat suddenly gone mad?  Had she got hydrophobia?

They all crowded round their unfortunate guest—­all but Timmy, who stood aside with a look in which remorse, fear, and triumph struggled for mastery on his queer little face.

And then at last, when Mrs. Crofton lay back, moaning, on the sofa, surrounded by her distracted and horrified hosts, somebody suggested that Dr. O’Farrell should be sent for, and Jack rushed into the hall to find Betty already at the telephone.

Meanwhile Janet Tosswill was doing her best to persuade the victim of Josephine’s savage aggression to come upstairs and await the doctor there; but, shudderingly, Enid Crofton refused to stir.

A slight diversion was created when Betty came in with a basin of warm water, soap, and a sponge.  Again everyone crowded round the sofa, and Jack and Radmore both felt alarm, as well as horror, when they saw the wounds made by the cat’s claws and the cat’s teeth.

While her arm was being bathed, Mrs. Crofton grew so pale that Janet feared she was going to faint, and Rosamund was sent flying up to the medicine cupboard to get some brandy.

Dr. O’Farrell was at home when telephoned for, but the quarter of an hour which elapsed before he reached Old Place seemed very long to some of the people waiting there.  The doctor came in smiling, but his face altered and grew very grave when he saw Mrs. Crofton’s arm, and heard the confused, excited account of what had happened.

To the patient he made light of the whole matter, but while someone was putting on Mrs. Crofton’s overshoes and while her evening cloak was being brought in he moved a little aside with Jack, Mr. Tosswill, and Radmore.  None of them noticed that Timmy was hovering on the outskirts of the group.

“I want to say,” he began in a low voice, “that of course that cat will have to be kept under observation, or else she’ll have to be destroyed and her body sent up to town to make sure of—­you know what!  Meanwhile, no one must go near her.  Where is she now?”

Mr. Tosswill looked vaguely round.  “I think Betty took her into the kitchen,” he said slowly, and then he called out, “Betty?”

The girl came up.  “Yes, father?”

“What did you do with Timmy’s cat?”

“I put her back in the scullery, with her kittens.  They only opened their eyes yesterday.  Of course Timmy ought never to have brought her into the drawing-room.”

Dr. O’Farrell looked much relieved.  He turned round:  “Oh, she’s just had kittens, has she?  That probably accounts for the whole thing.”