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I was as happy as a fish in water, and I could have stayed in that room for ever, have never left that place

Her eyelids were slowly lifted, and once ain she smiled

'How you look at er

I blushed'She understands it all, she sees all,' flashed through my mind 'And how could she fail to understand and see it all?'

All at once there was a sound in the next room--the clink of a sabre

'Zina!' screaht you a kitten'

'A kitten!' cried Zina&iu the ball of worsted onthe skein and the ball of wool on the -sill, I went into the drawing-roo In thewith outstretched paws; Zina&iu up its little face Near the old princess, and filling up almost the whole space between the ts, was a flaxen curly-headed young man, a hussar, with a rosy face and prominent eyes

'What a funny little thing!' Zina&iureen, and what long ears! Thank you, Viktor Yegoritch! you are very kind'

The hussar, in who before, sle of the chain of his sabre

'You were pleased to say yesterday that you wished to possess a tabby kitten with long earsso I obtained it Your word is law' And he bowed again

The kitten gave a feeble ry!' cried Zina&iu sooith a faded kerchief at her neck, came in with a saucer of milk and set it before the kitten The kitten started, blinked, and began lapping

'What a pink little tongue it has!' reround and peeping at it sideways under its very nose

The kitten having had enough began to purr andto the maid said carelessly, 'Take it away'

'For the kitten--your little hand,' said the hussar, with a sihtly buttoned up in a new uniform