Rock Island Argus., 1911-08-03
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Cats Eyes-By Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Press.

"Al at once there ran between my
feet this cat, not as you see her now.
with pure topazes for eyes, but with
hollows where eyes had once been.
She curled around me and arched her
back and mewed pitifully, and when
took her in my arms she stretched
herself on my shoulder and laid her
velvet tongue against my cheek.
"Oh, yes. l was an idiot, of course
Just because / found her In the tomb
of Princess Hara / kept her and call
| ed her Hara and bought topaz eyes
for her. and here she is. My guide
protested and told me great evil would
befaIl me and mine because l adopted
the cat. The beggar said she was
probably the reincarnated soul OF
Princess Hara's cat, If not the princess
herself. Now. I've read something of
that royal lady's life. and I'll admit
she was something of cat. Scratch,
will you? Bouncer'
Harris tossed the cat to a distant
corner and lifted his handkerchief to
his bleeding cheek. She does that
once in awhile" he said ruefulIy, land
the funny part Of it all is that it hap
pens whenever I've been criticising the
Princess Hara. whom 1 really believe
was quite a devil in her way. Scat,
you brute"'
The Egyptian cat had suddenly tax
en- three long leaps across the room
and launched herself at Harris throat.
He tossed her into a heap of cushions
and laughingly brought out bottle of
antisepic solution and applied it to
his scratch.
Suddenly he became aware of Ber-
trand's long silence and looked quickly
at his friend. The latter was hunched
forward in his chair staring dazedly
at the cat. which crouched on her
cushions and glared back at him from
sightless jeweled eyes.
whats the matter, BertrandY' Har-
ris asked sharply.
Bertrand looked up with little shud-
der.
"Retribution,' he said DULY.
what? What are you talking aboutr
Harris shook him into an upright posi-
ton.
Its retribution," repeated Bertrand,
pointing a finger at the cat
Explain yourself, old man. don't
knOW WndL JOu
What has Hara got to do with you"
81, too, have been in the tombs OF
Abusir," said Bertrand. regaining his
composure, but it was several years
ago. 1 committed a little crime-a
theft There; it's out now. although
thought 1 paid then for what l took
My guide had shown me the mummy
of the Princess Hara, and l was at
tracted by the mummifed body of her
pet cat, which reposed at her feet
Well, the cat mummy had In its head
the finest pair of cats eye jewels ever
saw-steely blue in color with pale
yellow pupils. To make long story
short, took the cats eyes and tucked
underneath the little cats body the
worth of the Jewels. l wanted them
for my collection, you know.
Harris nodded assent and added:
"You know, I'm a collector myself
! coins-and I've been tempted a score
Of times, so / know all about it Well.
go on, old man, you didn't go back
and steal the cat afterward, did your
why do you ask that?"
Merely because there was no mum
mifed cat in the Princess Hara's cof-
I'm when / visited it"
Bertrand stared with unbelieving
eyes.
do you mean that?' be asked thick
ly.
Yes; it isn't strange, though. The
tombs are poorly lighted. and there are
people who might fancy a cat mummy.
But not for miner
Don't you think it's very stranger
asked Bertrand at length
what is stranger
THAT should take the jeweled eyes
from the mummy or Princess Hara's
favorite cat and you should visit the
tomb later and not see the dead cat.
but come across an apparently live
one minus its eyesF'
Great Scott. Bertrand, what are you
trying 10 evolve out of this messT