Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-04-25

people in it," said Willy Gaines com
placently. laying down on the table
beside him sheaf of place cards. ali
representing cats in various ATTITUDES
of charm and grace. Indeed these
favors were well worth his attention.
for the famous artist whom he had
commissioned to paint them was also
a cat lower and had marvclon y De
picted the arstocrats of the feline
world. There were exquisite palc
"silvers' with the darker shading ar
the ends OF the long hairs: smoke
"grays": clear hrilliar. oranges -
tints of fame and 2old--silky blues,
inky blacks" and whites" the color
of old ivory
Now the reason that Willy Gaines.
a delightful follow and clever too. was
examining these delicate water colors
so carefully and critically was that.
on the morrow. he was giving Rose
O'Hara, the great lrish-American So
prano. and the object Of his fondest
alteration. farewell luncheon before
she sailed to open her Paris season.
And the reason for The cat pictures
was that she was exhibiting at the
annual cat show. which opened within
the next few days, her famous blue
Persian. Prince Ahmed. a cat of in
credihly long hair and pedigree and
unusually short temper: an arrogant.
vain hardened winner Of cups and
medals and blue ribbons. TO whom. TO
Gaines's intense disgust. the proud
and beautiful Miss O'Hara. her cold
and reserved English secretary, Miss
Hodgkins: and her varied and valu-
able French maid, Ernestlne. were but
humble slaves-mere satellites re-
volving about this pampcred cats ca
PRECIOUS and snarling humors.
It was certainly not. then as a trib-
ute to the Royal Persian that Gaines
had requested the artist 10 paint all
these cat portraits. He designed to
hit another bird with the same stone,
and this bird was his rich and rigid
maiden aunt, Miss Recina Wampole.
who was also a cat devotee; but as
Willy reioiced TO think. in no way
which involved a rivalry with Rose.
in that his Aunt Regina's fancy turned
exclusively to the shorthared cats
and these only she owned and ex-
hihited.
Gaines had determined that she
should chaperone his party, and natu-
rally and inevitably lose her heart to
Rose OHara. for who could help that?
The details Of this party he had gone
into with infinite care; IT was to be
composed of only the most charming
and celebrated people, with the ex-
ception Of Aunt Regina. and she lent
the necessary touch of conventional
fly. Unfortunately, at the last mo-
ment, she had developed religious
scruples about chaperoning what she
was pleased to term Bohemian
revel; but Willy had finally overcome
these by promising her that he would
coax Miss O'Hara to allow Prince
Ahmed to grace the occasion in per
son. and she was not proof against
this lure.
yes, pretty good world" Willy
repeated. picking up the cards and
looking them over again. Now. Gaines
was old enough and experienced
enough to know that he was merely
tempting fortune in making this re.
mark, and that Satan, ever at hand
has too thorough and ironic a sense
OF humor not TO take advantage OF
such an opportunity.
Therefore, he should not have been
surprised when, few moments later
Just as he was preparing to leave for
the ofice-he was a lawyer---the tele
phone bell rang and Rose O'Hara s
golden voice, agitated, shaken, greeted
him.
"Oh. Willy, is that you? The most
dreadful thing has happened. Prince
Ahmed has been stolen"
Gaines was genuinely shocked. you
don't mean it," he exclaimed. When;
How"
Some time this morning while
Miss Hodgkins and were out shop
ping. Oh, we are all heart-broken
"I'll be there in ten minutes" sale
Willy. He made 1t in even less time
and on reaching her suite in th'
apartment hotel where she lived wher
in this country found a disorganizet
household Ernestine, of a peculiar
Gothic type of leanness, was a mer'
exclamation point Of the tragic emo
r,ons: Miss Hodgkins. usually rattle
dough-like in manner and tempera
ment. was collected, but evldentl,
griefstricten; while Rose herself. he
great gray eyes-those famous eyes
swimming in tears. her fascinating
slightly crooked mouth trembling, wa
q picture Of lovely distress.
willy took both her hands in his
my dear Rose, you know how sorr
am. Now tell me just how 1t haT
pened, that we may devise the hes
and quickest way of recovering hin
again"
Here Ernestine performed a ser!e
Of cOntortions punctuated with means
Leave the room, Ernestine,' CON
manded Rose. "She shrieks so whel
tell OF It, because it was really al
her fault. Well" sinking into chat
with heavy sigh. "as | told you owe
the telephone, Miss Hodgkins and
went shopping, leaving Ernestin
with Ahmed. After completing hi
toilet. she placed him in his baske
to doze, and then took up her sewing
The windows were all closed, shout
mention. but the doors were ope
throughout the apartment, Towar
noon. Ernestine very reprehensibl
decided to take nap. and THROWN
herself on the couch fell fast asleey
When she woke up about an hon
later. ha--he-was nowhere to b
seen" 10
Here Rose could no longer restrai
her tears. and Miss Hodgkins took IL
the thread of her narrative.
AT hrst," she said in her precis
well-modulated. English voice, err
eRtine WAS mt eaneciallv porturho,