My room looked on to one side of the garden. There wero some outhouses, dis used, I believe, at the far end of this part of the premises, and almost hidden by trees. As I wont to my window to look at the night—a rather dark one-1 fancied I saw a man's figure going towards these buildings, It looked uncommonly like my host, but on second thought 1 supposed it lo be the gardener. 1 very soon tumbled into bed and dropped asleep, I awoke suddenly, with an odd sound in my ears—n sound that seemed to fill the room and yeb was not very loud, What in the fiend's name was it ? I lifted myself on

my arm—not, I daresay, thoroughly awake, S - ' for I could not at once identify the sound, The room was very dark ; I could see nothing, Why, of course, it was the pur ring of a cat I hoard, The bruto must be in the room, and I hate cats. I wished I hadn't left the door ajar; the open window would have given enough air. A cab! bub whab a noisy one ! I don't know why 1 began to feel a creepy sonsation; I'm not a bit of a coward, nor especially nervous; bub that persistent purring, filling the room, and yeb coming from nowhere, did sound eerie. It must bo a cat. " This wonb do," I said. " Hang the brute! I'm going to see where ibis.'' There was a tablo by the bedsido, with niatohes on it; the room was lighted by gas, which I had turned out. I gob n match, when, startled, I suddenly dropped it. Something made a stealthy movement •—the purring was nearer. I: I lay perfectly still—l think I hardly breathed. I felt as if some creature mighb be on me if I stirred. Yet I knew I needed all my wits about me. No cat I had ever heard made that sound. I strove to recol lect what animals, besides cats did purr.. I must get a light-this sense of somothing In the dark was awful. , I stealthily stretched outfor the matches < .but, as I did so, a form crept pasb the win-' dow, The blind was up, and I eaw a tawny thing with dark stripes -a tiger. • Impossible I I must be mad. 