The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11

are shut today.
 of course, they are all shut ana oh- ly some of them will keep their win dows open" Away went Fife, carrying the sheet | of paper in her hand. Poor Fife, do | wish Maudie Marguerite would turn m or. even If she's dead, that we | knew" said Geraldine pitifully, as the door closed behind his younger sister
 "She will turn up," said Wint1reu
 Mark my words, she will turn up. but'
 all the same, even if she does' two
 nights out in this horrible weather are enough to finish off little oehcale | creature like that. ,.. l Then Efie came in again. and, with l the feeling of having taken one more step towards the recovery or Mauuie Marguerite, began to open her letters | ,yith more zest' than she had showh so far They had not finished thelr | pleasant task before a great peal came | at the front door. x,,.,,oa ] "That's Major Bruce," said Wlnilreu' | If was not Major Bruce; on the con | trorv. Simpson. broadly smiling, usher- | ed in the young man from No. lo, carry . | ing under his arm a very sleek anu | nrosnerous- looking Maudie Marguerite.
 .T think this is your property" he
 said as he advanced into the studio. He
 locked from one to the other of the | tbree sisters, not knowing whom to
 nointedly address. Fife rushed for
 ward and seized Maudie Marguerite Tn l her arms. "A.
 "Oh my little duck, my darling! on,
 where did you find her? We know "ho
 vou are. but we don't know your name' | You live at No. 16T'
 "Yes." said the young man laughing a little. "I do live at No. l6, and my name Is Carthew.
 "cartheww echoed the three sisters in the same breath. "Geonrey Car | thew?" .,. "The same, ladies at your service. You see, am beforehand with you, l tnow vour name. have not been in England long. and I have been abroad for so long that I scarcely know soul | in London. I am very bold very imper- tinent, but may I say that l am very glad this little pet of yours was lost' because 1t has been the means, if you
 will allow 1t so, of introducing us"
 "Oh. yes. of course" cried Geraldine, who was an artist before everything else-"of course, we are only too de-
 lighted to make your acquaintance' Surely Maudie Marguerite's introduc- tIon ts good enough for anybody DO YOU call her Maudie Margue- rite?" Godfrey Carthew inquired. "Yes. that Is her name. but we almost always call her the Altogether Adora- | ble."
 And she belong to your" NO, to my sister here. She Is pet to all of us but she belongs to Effie.' And de tell me-" said Effie finding her voice at last-"do tell me, how did you find her?"'
 Well, 1t was like this. I was com ing home the night before last. quite | late when I ran against this little crea- ture. in the station entrance"
 The station entrance?' T saw 1t was a kitten of value-I
 know something about cats-and 1t was much too cold and wet and slushy to be dawdling about trying to find its owner, so I carried 1t home" Was she wet?" said Efie. in an anx- ious voice.
 Wet! She was the most miserable | little specimen of a kitten ever saw in
 my life. Her legs were like sticks she was wet through, and hsr com plainings were pitiful to hear"
 What did you do with her?' Fife
 cried.
 Well, I handed her over to my house.
 keeper She. believe, practically wash
 ed her, and dried her In blanket Did she reallyT'
 Something of the kind She was stuffed with hot milk. and I really be- lieve she had a little brandy and water | but certainly before I went to bed she was dry and warm and perfectly com fortabIe. I see." he said. abruptly