The Press., 1905-07-05
6be Wisdom Of
Fellow
By RUBY DOUGLAS

A tap at her studio door brought
her to a sitting posture, and, wiping
her eyes with a bit Of lace edged linen,
abe called to the visitor to enter.
BEG pardon-oh, Miss Benton" be-
gan the big, motherly looking woman,
did you send for meT'
She was the Janitor's wife and lived
In the basement Of the studio building.
Ethel smiled and continued to dry her
eyes.
YES" she said. "Some one has
stolen my nice m-muff." And she
burst into a fresh food Of tears.
'There-there now," comforted the
woman, patting Ethers heaving shout
ders. DRY your pretty eyes and tell
me about it."
There's nothing to tell except that
it's stolen. IL just went out this
morning for a walk and when l came
back it was gone"
EFT was here when cleared up the
room this morning." said the woman.
eft was big and brown and long
haired, wasn't itT'
Ethel nodded.
"Have you looked everywhere for
ttY
Ethel nodded again. Eyes, every
where. I-they could have taken any
thing else but-but that"
Mrs. Carriers eyes scanned the
room, an expression Of distress and
surprise on her good natured face.
They had never had any trouble Of
this sort In the building. and she felt
personally responsible.
ST have the only keys except your
own, and
"Oh, Mrs. Carter" interrupted
Ethel hastily, don't for an instant
think that blame you! only sent
for you SO you might investigate in
q quiet way"
There's only one new tenant In the
building-a man on the next floor, but
he seems like a gentleman. I've not
had much talk with him, but mind
his dog for him sometimes when he's
out"
II don't believe any one in the build
ing would take 1t, but-well, 1t is gone.
It was not the value of the muff, butt
Ethel hesitated and a deeper color
flooded her face-"it was all had left
that "a very dear friend gave me-"
Even dense Mrs. Carter noticed the
emphasis on the adjective and the
slight hesitation as to the fitness Of the
word friend"
"TH keep my eyes open, Miss Ben
ton, and in the meantime don't spoil
your eyes crying"
"All right" replied Ethel family as
the door closed on the janitor's wife.
But she did cry! How wildly she re-
called the day Bert Cameron had given
her the muff. Hawkins, his old chum,
had sent the skin from Idaho. and the
nun had been made to match Bert's
gloves and cap! They had been en-
gagged then only a few months and
well, when they had broken their en-
gagement 1t was summer, and, In re-
turning his ring and the other things
he had given her, the muff, packed In a
cedar chest for the warm months, had
been forgotten. When she had brought
1t out again it was too late, and she
had kept it. Often when her pupils had
been hopelessly out Of tune, when they
had seemed not to know one note from
another nor q piano from any other
plaything, she had come home all ex-
hausted to bury her face in the shaggy
warm fur and regret many things!
Now it was gone, like its donor. from
her life.
Cameron opened the door Of his room
with little enthusiasm. He did not
fancy this place much more than many
other abodes he had taken up In the
last year. He was sorry he had left
the home town, after all, for there at
least he had a home. And get he could
not bear the place after she had gone.
"Hello, Fellow" he said to the frisky
fox terrier, who had gone into ecstaslOS
Of delight on hearing his masters key
In the lock-
WHATS Cameron picked up q
brown muff from the sofa. He put his
hands into it, and his face paled. So
she had returned even that one last
remembrance Of him! He had cherish
ed the thought that perhaps she would
think Of him when she used the nun,
inasmuch as she had kept it. But
now
A flash Of establishment crossed his
face. Where was she? That she was
In the great city he had known when
he came, but where? He felt within the
mufr's soft lining for q note, a word
q clew Of some sort, but there was nc
sign. Then he closed his eyes In the
depths Of the shaggy brown fur. he
felt sentimental. bit foolish, when he
did 1t. but who save Fellow would see
him?
miss Benton" began Mrs. Carter
entering Ethe's studio Just as that
young woman, trim in her brown walk
ing suit. was leaving for a lesson, ''I'vG
found your nun"
''Whatr' cried Ethel.
II was cleaning that now youna
mans room, and there, on the couch
II wouldn't have believed my OWE
eyes. He's such nice young man."
''Where is 1t? What's his Manner
cried the girl In one breath.
"Mr. Cameron Mrs. Carter stopped
short. Ethel had grabbed the door
knob, and her cheek had lost its pretty
pinkness
"Cameron3' she echoed.
Eyes. He's on the floor above" Mrs.
Carter stared in blank establishment.
And he-he has the muffT' Ethel
asked, as If unable to believe it.
Eyes, he has it all right"
Every well, Mrs. Carter" Ethel said
after a moment. II will come and see
you about 1t later" +..-s-l ~"
The woman closed the door and de-
parted.
there's something mysterious about
Il all" she mutteFed to herself as she
descended the stairs.
When she was halfway down Rhe
turned back, but this time she contin-
ued to the floor above.
Opening the door Of Cameron's room,
she held up her hands In horror at the
sight that met her gaze. There ON the