The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-10-27

| Mercy! It's cat!" the woman exI
claimed. where can it be hiding?"
Everybody looked around. If that
dismal wall was repeated, the kitten
would be located. They were APP
preaching the residence of Harding'a
best friend. Rising hastily he sig-
nailed the conductor.
On alighting he suddenly became
aware that Miss Loring was close be-
hind him. InstiActively he offered hia
disengaged hand, but she haughtily
declined it. Her frigid look as she
stepped down from the car was more
chilling than the piercing wind,
Forced to leave her to shift for her.
self, Harding pushed his way through
the storm to the big, carved door that
marked the abode of the Mortons.
He hang the bell and glanced be;
hind him-just in time to see Miss
I4oring pause uncertainty on the lower
step.
"Why, Edith! Are you calling here,
too?" he was surprised Into exclaim-
ing.
IT have an appointment with Mrs.
Morton" she responded coldly.
Harding gasped. Retreat was out
of the question. The door had swung
open-Morton and his charming wife
stood on the threshold.
The next few moments were like
confused dream. In the warm, ira
grant drawing room, Miss Loring fell
into a careless pose before the fire.
Harding stared from his corner with
worshipping eyes. How remote she
seemed in her cold proud beauty
Confess to this regal creature what
: soft-hearted fool he was? Nevei!
He had left the box on the hall
table on his way in. But there was
no counting on the imprisoned crea-
ture. He must invent an excuse for
the impromptu call and get away
Quickly-or court disaster.
He noted from where he sat the
perilous nearness of the box to the
edge of the table. Suddenly it began
| to sway slightly, and before he could
:, rush to the rescue, fell to the floor.
= There was distressed mew-more
3 appalling than thunderbolt. When
/ he reached the spot the kitten was
b "spitting' angrily, in an energetic
= struggle to extricate itself.
S Funny little beast! Where the
s dickens did it come from?" Morton ex-
claimed, close at his heels. Then he
stopped and looked hard into Hard
ing's face.
why, old chap, you had that box
under your arm, remember"
L., IL Iino
said sturdily, lifting the kitten against
] his hot cheek. "And I'll have to own
| up to this little beggar too. 1-picked
1 him up-in the street. He was wet
4 and cold and miserable. couldn't
let him freeze, you know. Tm-tak
| ing him-home with me-"
| Morton stared, gasped, then, as the
situation dawned upon him, broke into
roar of laughter
"Ha, ha, ha! So you go about adopt
ing alley cats? This little beast is te
be quartered comfortably in your
bachelor abode? Oh, shades of the
society with the long name! Ton
| Carol and the boys shall hear o.
this"
The flush on Harding's cheek deep
ened. He turned blindly, holding the
kitten close to him. He wanted to gel
away. The one thing he could not de
4 was to meet Miss Loring's scornfu
eyes.
r. But there was rustic, quick step
It She had slipped between him and thu
" door.
e Its a nasty night-of course 70,
e couldn't leave the poor creature tt
e perish, Ralph" she said, in a voic,
t. singularly gentle and sweet. 1T woult
j. have been cruel" Then she smiled
queer smile, and added with sudden ir
II relevancy: "But there were flowers il
ID that box! What has become of them p
Z. II threw them away"
h "Oh, you did? You sacrificed m!
" flowers for a vagrant cat?"
70 Harding felt the room go round
- "Yours, Edith" he echoed feebly
~ 'They were sent to the club. l didn'
KNOW never dreamed-that the,
- came from you."
~ "Of course not. They should hav
gone to your apartment-as usual
The messenger blundered."
~ ;, I'm sorry" he began, and stopped
for two bejeweled hands fell suddenl
on his deep shoulders.
u Didn't you see that the flower
y were violets, Ralph?" she whispered
= Il thought you'd understand, whel
8 you opened the box, that WAS sorr
=! for last highland wanted to b
&c friends again!"