The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-09
The Cat and Dog Of 1t.


BY all the laws and the prophets of
precedent Kenwofthy should have
made a stormy exit at the height of
the quarrel. In staying on when the
final word had been said and grim ST.
lence had succeeded the heated accu-
sations and counter accusations he was
guilty OF an anticlimax. But Ken
worthy was no respecter of precedent,
and at present It mattered not a rap
to him whether he was guilty Of an
anticlimax or not He only knew that
he was utterly miserable and that the
fine view he had OF Alicia's back
turned to him with an obviousness not
to be galnsaid- IN nowise encour-
aging.
He sat In the hammock, his face a
study OF contradicting emotions, gaz-
ing abstractedly afeld and pulling the
silky ears OF RaJah, the brindle bull
terrier that lolled beside him. Twice
he essayed to speak, but each time as
he raised his eyes and caught sight OF
that uncompromising back the words
died on his lips.
At length he looked down at the dog.
A whimsical smile curved his lips, and
he looked grimly toward Alicia, who
to all mtents was interested in the
distant landscape.
"Rajah, old boy he said, addressing
the dog, ut strikes me that women
are getting very unfair these days.
They accuse a chap Of all sorts OF
things, and when he offers to explain
they fly into a fine dudgeon and turn
their backs on him. They give him
the maximum sentence without "A
| trial"
He glanced at the girl. She was
quite unmoved. The landscape was
apparently quite as absorbing as ever.
The back was certainly no whit less
uncompromising.
give been Ill treated, old man." Ken
worthy went on. II wanted TO ex-
plain it all to her, but she wouldn't
listen"
At that moment a Persian kitten
came stalking across the lawn, paused
lrresolutely beneath the trees and then
jumped into Alicia's lap.
TEDDY, you DEAR" cried the girl,
stroklng the Kittens white coat, you
knew l wanted to tell you something
about men, didn't your"
Kenworthy pricked up his ears.
Teddy" she went on confdentially,
"all men are horrid-selfish and hor-
rid. You can't trust any Of them"
Kenworthy smiled at the dog.
Between you and me, Rajah," said
he, II think the sum and substance of
the whole matter is jealousy"
Imagine my being jealous, Teddy"
said the girl scornfully. "Who on
earth would l be Jealous off"
II imagine it's the Bronson girl,
RaJah," said Kenworthy.
"The Bronson girl goes automobIl-
ing quite frequently of late" said the
girl to the kitten. "And shes such a
horrld little fiirtl She blasted when
she came here she'd have a spin In
every car in town. aid think, Ted
dy"-- She stopped abruptly.
"By Jove, It Is jealousy" said Ken
worthy forgetting to address his re-
marks to the dog. '
Didn't / tell you men were horrid,
TeddyT" said Alicia, With much con-
viction. 81 ~ Le1e
Kenworthy chuckied SOFTLY.
"Do you suppose she really cares II
l did take the Bronson girl FOR q spin,
RajahT" he asked.
"He was to come here at A yester-
day afternoon, Teddy" she said. "It
was half past before he came. I'm
glad he found such congenial compa-
ny"
"See here, Rajah," said Kenworhy,
"the explanation she refused to listen
to shall tell to you"
aren't men clever at explaining,
TeddyT' asked the girl, with sarcasm.
You see," Kenworthy went on, pat
ting the dog, "I started out in the car
TO run over here yesterday afternoon,
When I got to the old Bassett place
there was Jim Culver lying fiat on the
ground beneath that runabout OF his
I'm busted says Jim to me, and
Miss Bronson wants to get that 4:5a
from the junction. Think you can get
her Over2 You'll have TO make a rec.
ord What could a fellow do, Rajah
old ehap2 He couldn't be cad enough
to refuse, now, could he?"
The girl stroked the kitten thought
fully.
IT'S very clever explanation" she
mused,
'The worst Of il is. Rajah, she won't
believe a word Of It," said he gloomily
'I'm almost tempted to believe It.
Teddy" said she.
"And IL she does believe II she won't
be sorry for tl'e way she treated me-
he went on.
"I'm almost tempted to be sorry
she said softly.
"And even If she is sorry she'll never
care for me the way I'Ee been trying
4 --~