The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-11-10

Sno started DacR+ INA, dropping 'ho
cigar-case at her tSet, stood the pic
ture OF hopeless confusion.
I'll am so dreadfully sorry!" she
stammered, thoroughly taken aback.
"l-hope have not disturbed you.'
Disturbed mel" echoed the Major.
looking perfectly mystified. "Oh, dear
no-not at ALL" He had sprung to his
feet, and, raising his hat, was vainly
trying to collect his scattered senses
1.-THE fact isl had come to ask you
If you have lost anything" began Eve
Ign hesitatingly. looking round help
lcssly and forgetting in toto the calm
dignifled apology which she had In
tended to make; because l am afraid
my dog has been doing some dreadful
mischief"
"Really?" returned the Major. 1T
is very good of you, l am sure. But
what has your dog been doing? Is
it anything so very serious?"
"Well, yes-that is what he has
done!" answered Evelyn, with rueful
glance at the cigar case, the dilapi-
dated state of which plainly told its
own tale. "And now want to know
If it belongs to you, as, If SO, l cannot
tell how / am to apologize for Sam
bo's dreadful behavior. Where he dis
covered it, and how he came into pos
session of 1t, l have no idea, as
found it in his mouth only about
minute ago; but"
"Then do not trouble pleased" said
Major Brown courteously. 1T Is
mine, certainly; but it does not mat
ter in the least. What is of more i'm
portance is, Has he eaten any Of 1t?
Because l should think that Russian
leather is not the easiest thing in the
world to digest"
no" Evelyn gave dubious shake
of her head. "Sambo knows better
than to swallow anything of the kind.
He is too fond Of gnawing my shoes
not to have learnt by experience that
leather is a lad thing for his diges-
tion."
"Ah--so this is not his first Of
fense?" He asked the question anx-
iously fearing each moment Miss Lut-
trell would bring the interview abrupt
ly to a close by walking off imperious-
ly with her head elevated as she had
done on the previous morning.
"Oh, dear, no! He destroys some
thing every day; but as rule, he
takes care not to spoil anything that
does not belong to me. That is one
good thing, or he would be everlast-
ingly in disgrace"
II see; he evidently considers it
sort of mark of esteem, which he re-
serves entirely for his Mistress" was
| the Majors reply, made in some
| what speculative tone. IF that is
the case, 1 must look upon myself as
an honored individual, since he has
condescended to bestow his attention
upon something of mine. Come, Sam
bo shake hands"
Yes, Sambo-put out your paw and
shake hands like a gentleman, and say
you are sorry for what you have done.
But please let me have that unfortu-
nate cigar-case," she added suddenly,
coloring slightly as the Major bent
| forward to take up the remains of that
once elegant article. There will be
so many different kinds, suppose,
and, if possible, Sambo would like to
get another exactly like It,"
1T is very kind of him, am sure
| there was a CLEAN of amusement in his
eyes-"but, all the same, l shall value
this one far more than l ever could
a new one of Sambo's choosing; and,
if l may be allowed, l shall always
keep it in remembrance of him and
here he hesitated and glanced down
admiringly at the disturbed pretty race
before him-"his mistress!"
And so at last Fate had been kind
to him.
AS, five minutes later, the Major
tucked his newspaper under his arm
and took leisurely stroll round the
garden, he came to the conclusion that,
even had the French poodle devoured
a hundred cigar-cases, he would have
been perfectly compensated by that
rather short interview with Miss Lut-
trell of Luttrell court.
Ito be continued)