the houses were closed there were many cats about. Some would come to the
back door and our cook, who was tender-hearted, would throw food out to
them. I did not understand this at first but soon found out what it meant.
Their owners had returned to the city and had left them to look out for
themselves; the only excuse was that it was too much trouble to carry them
back or, very possibly they were forgotten in the moving. Oh, what a
hungry horde we saw them become as we stayed through October! Their gaunt
bodies and hollow eyes which glowed like coals of fire, would have been a
reproach to the ones who had left them.

Our people finally began to pack up and word was given that the next day
we should all go back to the city. I was pleased for it did seem good to
think of returning to my beautiful home. Lord Roberts announced that his
people were going the same day, and was as pleased over it as I was. While
the things were being put on express teams I went out to say good-by to
some of my friends, as I had made the acquaintance of a number of cats
during my stay at the shore. It astonished me to find them in such a
pitiable condition, and to find that they had given up hopes that their
people would ever return for them. I could not understand this state of
things and spent some time trying to console and cheer them. They paced
wildly up and down, their thin bodies and hungry faces revealing their
inward sufferings and they now began to realize that cold weather was
approaching. Their plight was a serious thing to me and the time passed on
for I hated to leave them to their misery, going back as I was to a
comfortable home. When at last I hurried back, what was my horror to find
that the family had gone and that the house was boarded up.

I walked around the house several times but no one was there. I became
frenzied with fear. The wind was North and it was getting colder with the
approach of night. I thought of Lord Roberts and proceeded to his house