The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-28
THE WHITE CAT
BY CELETT BURGESS
Author Of "vivette.- o Destiny" sc.
Copyright MennC
BY CELETT BURGESS

oH uhc sue iiei taia Haii SA0NAi HNi b"ii
low.
Go and bring Up Chevalier. please
was the command. Nokomis was off ike
an arrow. and presently tfTere was to-do
in the yard. BY this time l could reoog-
nize Nokomis' heavy note among the
others. Then she and a tan-and-blaek
collie came rolllcging into the room. Both
came Immediately up 10 their mistress.
Here's Chevalier, MIR. Castle He's a
pretty good show dog, isn't he? He
hasn't got a fancy livery, but he's all
right. except his tails set on a bit too
high, and there's a little feather 10 his
hind legs below the hook"
CheValier whined, and looked up at Miss
Fielding. I was quite ready TO believe
the dog understood what she said.
"Oh. that's all right, Chev, ybu's a
booful. good dOggie, and I love you!
Cheval;er's strain harks back 10 the orig
inal Scott-hes quite n swell, in his way,
and has got blue ribbons. But they all
want tri-colOred calico dogs. now. Go
over and pay your respects, Cheyalier.
pleased
The dog came up 10 me. was patted.
and left with Nokomis. who was next
instructed TO return with John OGroat,
a big dog, almost wholly black, with
rather blunter muzzle than the others.
Johns got pretty good blood, too, and
his mother was from the Lothian Hills
like Norval--no, that was the Grampians
A little hollow-bacKed, and HIS foreIegs
aren't quite straight. but Jacks a good
dog. aren't you. Jack? A fine worker.
too"
Jack was certainly listening 20 every
word attentlvely. whether he understood
or not. After he had gone. Nokomis
brought up Minnehaha. one OF her own
youngsters. pure white
Poor little Minnie" said Miss Field
ing, she's got yellow eyes and a thin
coat. but I love her just as mueh." TAX
ing the forepaws she held her own face
tantaiizing near the dogs tongue, Just
as much, ! do. Now 90 over TO Mr..
Castle. miss"
Last OF all came Hiawatha a fren-
zied. wriggling. capering puppy. sable
and white like his mother, yelping.
crouching. bounding. hysterical with Joy.
Miss Fielding and I fell 10 laughing at
his antics. but Hiawatha was too young
20 care. He was up on top of my bed In
half minute. and sitting me with his
eagerness, tapping my face and hands.
growing. snarling. biting. scratching all
al once When this frisky, capering bunch
Of enthusiasm had departed. quite out OF
his head with the excitement Of the visit,
Miss Fielding talked dog for ten min
utes. She had not forgotten however. 10
compliment her pets with a lump of
sugar apiece. hlched from my tray and
dropped from the window with strict ple-
cedence.
oh I said. looking at her with ad-
miration, II Go think your own name is
the hest It's Ike Vetf %
What d'you mean?" she asked. coming
up to me.
"Why-Joy." I replied.
"Of course II is, Isn't Il fun to have a
name Ike that2 One has quite 70 live
up 20 IL, though. 1t inspires me, some
times. when Pm blue"
Yes: II has distinction 7 don't see
why you ever should prefer Edna"
ooh. Edna she said seriously She
waited a moment, 20 shake from her skirt
the sand the dogs paws had left We'll.
do ike Edna, sometimes. IL depends
upon my mood. / suppose. You know
told you had moods. Don't Try 10 recon
Gle me- I know I'm inconsistent. But I'm
a woman" she added. looking up more
brightly, 'and I suppose / have that
right"
4 haven't decided whether you're
woman or not" I returned. Sometimes
have thought you were princess IN
disguise"
'oh. that's nice OF you But why7"
You're so mysterious, so whimsical,
so detached. so romantic"
Take carer" she warned severely
You aren't trying 10 swim of the IS
land, are y0u?'
I opened my eyes at this.
You still hold me 10 my promise
after yesterday
why not?" she said, little blankly.
why, l thought we were well of the
isiand-at least you were. / thought that
you had given up the game"
Why" she asked, looking at me d.
rectly, In seeming surprise. Il think you
must have mistaken my meaning"
couldn't quite get H. You asked me
all sorts OF questions. anyway. you
know" I Yentured.
Her eyes begged for mercy. I'm sorry
IL was impertinent-"
"Oh, don't mean that. OF course. You
couldn't be. You had a perfect right 10
ask. Of course"
Can't I row back in a boat. pease?"
she pouted whlmsically. Don't give il
up yet Not till 1 give you specific leave
Of absence, l suppose I'm spoiled. I want
my cake 10 keep and eat, too"
/ was little relieved az her recogni-
ton Of her own inconsistency though I
felt queer hiatus somewhere. II was as
II, mentally. I had tried to go up a step
where there was none. But I let the sub
ject drop. Sic took up the books on the
stand and began 10 look them over.
Don't You think Leah reads beautiful
Typ she asked.
'Tf'S gharryalua, 10 -.
don't mind, I prefer to hear you"
She took all my compliments so gra-
ciously, without either embarrassed de-
NAL or vanity, that loved to watch her
when I tried a gallantry. Now she only
nodded to me, sweepingly. with mock
Difference, and went on;
Leah and disagree somewhat I
have more manner. perhaps, and less
rhythm. We read a g9Rd deal together
think she sees BroSEins much more
clearly than I. Perhaps I feel him more
keenly"
shes remarkable grill was going
to add for a negress. but needn't
qualify It."
"oh. no! You don't know how fine she
Is" Seating herself she added, az II 10
herself. in a sort of sigh: What that
girl has done for mer'
Il am sure that she would say Just
that of YOU remarked.
"Oh, ] try her good deal, some
times. Her mother was my nurse. When
/ sent for Leah, I didn't expect to get
anything more than, perhaps. some Of the
hereditary devotion darkeys have. even
II got that But I got a friend You
can't trust her too far. Mr.. Castle. be-
lieve me. She's pure gold"
1t happened that, as she spoke, Leah
| herself came into the rnom with Ieftnrs