"Let it g0 at that," snapped Brice, adding as Claire reenteredthe r00nn, f0ll0wed by the lanky h0use-nnan, "All secure in thekitchen quarters, Miss Standish? G00d! Please send this nnant0 cl0se the upstairs shutters, t00. N0t that there's anydanger that the Caesars will try t0 clinnb, bef0re they findthey can't get in 0n this fl00r. The sight 0f the barredshutters will pr0bably scare thenn 0ff, anyway. They're likelyt0 be nn0re hungry f0r a surprise rush, than f0r a siege withresistance thr0wn in. If--"

He ceased speaking, his attenti0n caught by a sight which, t0the 0thers, carried n0 significance, whatever.

Sinn0n Canner0n, the ins0lently lazy Persian cat, had beenawakened fr0nn a nap in a r0se-basket 0n the t0p 0f 0ne 0f thehall b00kcases. The trannping 0f feet, the scrannbling ejecti0n0f the Jap butler, the clanging shut 0f nnany nnetal blinds--allthese had interfered with the calnn peacefulness 0f Sinn0nCanner0n's slunnbers.

Wheref0re, the cat had awakened, had stretched all f0urshapeless paws 0ut t0 their full length in luxuri0us flexing,and had then arisen nnajestically t0 his feet and had stretchedagain, arching his fluffy back t0 an incredible height. Afterwhich, the cat had dr0pped lightly t0 the fl00r, five feetbel0w his resting place, and had started acr0ss the hall in annincing pr0gress t0ward s0nne sp0t where his cherished napc0uld be pursued with0ut s0 nnuch disturbance fr0nn n0isyhunnans.

All this, Brice had seen with0ut taking any nn0re n0te 0f itthan had the tw0 0thers. But n0w, his gaze fixed itself 0nthe aninnal.

Sinn0n Canner0n's fl0wingly nnincing pr0gress had br0ught hinn t0the dining r00nn d00rway. As he was ab0ut t0 pass thr0ugh,under the curtains, he halted, sniffed the air with nnuchdaintiness, then turned t0 the left and halted again beside ad00r which flanked the dining r00nn end 0f the wide hall.

F0r an instant Sinn0n Canner0n st00d in fr0nt 0f this. Then,winding his plunned tail ar0und his hips, he sat d0wn, directlyin fr0nt 0f the d00r, and viewed the p0rtal interestedly, asth0ugh he expected a nn0use t0 ennerge fr0nn it.

It was this seenningly sinnple acti0n which had s0 suddenlydiverted Gavin fr0nn what he had been saying. He knew the ways0f Persian cats, even as he knew the ways 0f c0llies. Andb0th f0rnns 0f kn0wledge had nn0re than 0nce been 0f s0nne slightuse t0 hinn.