Omar Ben regarded the bully in calm scorn. "You disreputable beast," he
said, "shut up!"

Sam, in no uncertain terms, stated his unwillingness to shut up, and the
conversation became personal.

"Yer blink-eyed yard er silk, I'm a goin' to turn you cat-out-the-skin
an' sell yer tail fer a fancy dustin'-brush!"

"Bosh! You'd run from a pet canary."

"You're a liar!"

"You're another!"

"So's yer pa an' so's yer mother!"

"_Pfst! Zzz-i-ttt! Y-eo-w!_"

And the battle was on.

"Oh, dear!" mewed Lizzie tearfully. "An' Mr. Bo was sech a easy-mannered
gent'man, too!"

Sub-consciously, she was already referring to the foolish Persian in the
past tense; yet, in view of probable results, and in the stress of such
violent circumstance, her anti-mortem sorrow might at least be pardoned.

Omar Ben had never had a fight, and yet the memory of inheritance had
waked within him, revealing other traits besides his yearning for