"But he knew no better, said Aunt Margaret, "it is perfectly natural for a cat to spring at a bird. Yes, and for him to kill it too, if he has not been trained to do otherwise."

"But it would have made me feel dreadfully to have this beautiful bird torn to bits. I really love it. Besides, it was killed long ago."

"Yes," said Aunt Margaret, "killed that you might wear it on a hat."

There was something in Aunt Margaret's voice which made Flora and the little girls who were visiting her stand very still and look up.

"You say," continued Aunt Margaret very gently, "you say you love your beautiful bird. That you would feel dreadfully if it were torn to bits. How do you think its bird-mother felt when it was torn from her nest, and she never saw it again?"

"Oh," said Flora, "I never thought of that before. I'm afraid,-- I'm afraid I'm more to blame than the cat."
End of Chapter