The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-07-24
HIS LITTLE
MISTAKE

, One evening last week young Wal
ton-rather suddenly, 1t was remem
bered later-left the circle gathered
on the chilly veranda of the famil,
hotel that houses his trunk, ano
started for the evening stroll that has
become his habit.
He swung diagonally across the
lawn smoking vigorously and with the
outward appearance of a man possess
ing no Interior motive. no subtle de-
sign.
Ii was nearly dark and the hedges
| OF the hotel lawn doomed black as he
| passed them-so black, indeed. that
| Just at the corner of the hedge, turn
ing upon the sidewalk OF the avenue.
| Walton stumbled, And at the same
| time there arose weird wall OF an
guish that drew the attention of the
peopled vsranda to Walton's dark
figure.
Its a cat" Walton muttered 10
himself, watching CLEAN OF yellow
flash under the rays OF street lamp,
And it's for all the world like the
Horizons cat Wonder II they've
lost it?"
Now, the Horizons had but recently
acquired a Persian cat, orange as to
color pedigreed for four generations
back, which answered 10 the fantas-
tic name OF Comet. Only the night
before Walton had heard for the twen-
tieth time just how much Mrs Hor
ton thought OF Comet. how unusual
Comets coat was and how he was
never allowed TO walk abroad alone.
so positive was his owner that some
lurking thief would carry OF her far.
famed pet.
His mind filed with Mrs Horizons
present grief and future joy should
lie bring TO her the lost Comet, Wal
ton bounded after the cat. calling in
his most seductive tones Finally he |
won the confidence of the wanderer |
Undoubtedly the cat answered to his |
name-a fact that Mrs Horton had |
impressed upon Walton. Comet had |
never been called "kitty"-that name |
forever attached TO his short haired |
brethren. Ii must be Comet--he was |
orange, his eyes a deep copper, hi. |
tail waving plume OF orange fur.
After a few minutes maneuyering
Walton was speeding back TO the
hotel with a purring bundle in his
arms He would telephone the Hor.
tons and then take over the cat and
restore him to the arms OF his fond
owner
May | ask II you know whose cat
that is, Mr.. Walton?" came in sweet
ly suspicious tones from the top o;
the steps. as Walton began to mou1s
them
Then for the first time he realized
that he had been the center of in
terest for the whole neighborhood for
some moments past som-s nat con
fused by this discovery, Walton STAN
mered
Il think | do. am going to telo.
phone
But what are you going to do witk
the cat?"
"oh, keep it in my room till take
it to my friends"
"And whose is it, do you Think"
Suspicion was filling the air. Wal.
ton felt himself growing more and
more confused and he stammered out
Horizons name before the gathering
crowd.
But It isn't" asserted the cool
voice. II know whose cat II is-givs
{ to me. 1t belongs across the street
and iii take It over They would
never forgive me II IL were stolen"
The cat was lifted from Waltons
grasp and borne away, while Walton
hurried from the chilling gaze of the
body He rushed to the
telephone booth with a speed that
added fuel to the fire Of suspicion al.
'eady blazing brightly.
But Comet was at himel The cat
vas not the Hortons-an explanation
hat Walton made to all who would
listen
That is not all of the story. The
leXt morning on huge elm that
traces yard on the same side OF the
treet as the hotel there appeared q
ign, written in a hurried hand: