Arizona republican., 1912-04-17

AOPi OoShNAhS CoAo III val lOuo dLIlbu'tCo 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 8 cat lover and had marvelously de- picted the aristocrats of the feline world. There were exquisite pale "silvers" with the darker shading at the ends of the long hairs; smoke ''grays"; clear brilliant oranges tints of flame and gold-silky blues" inky "blacks,' and whites" the color of old ivory.
 Now the reason that Willy Gaines, delightful fellow 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 Irish American SO prano. and the object of his fondest adoration, a 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 credibly 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, Ernestine, were but humble slaves-mere satellites re volving about this pampered cats ca pricious and snarling humors.
 It was certainly not. then. as a trib- ute to the Royal Persian that Gaines had requested the artist to 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 Regina Wampole who was also a cat devotee; but as Willy rejoiced to think, in no way which involved a rivalry with Rose in that his Aunt Regina's fancy turned exclusively to the short-haired cats and these only she owned and ex hibited
 Gaines had determined that she should chaperOne his party. and natu- rally and inevitably lose her heart to Rose O'Hara, 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 ity. Unfortunately, at the last mo- ment. she had developed religious scruples about chaperoning what she was pleased to term a 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, a few moments later, just as he was preparing to leave for the cfice-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 1 were out shop ping Oh, we are all heart-brOken."
 "Ill be there in ten minutes" said .Qx ( ty,tn and on reaching her suite in the apartment hotel where she lived when in this country found a disorganized household. Ernestine. of peculiar Gothic type of leanness was a mere exclamation point of the tragic emo tous; Miss Hodgkins, usually rather dough-like in manner and tempera- ment was collected but evidently grief-stricken; while Rose herself, her great gray eyes-those famous eyes swimming in tears, her fascinating, slightly crooked mouth trembling, was a picture of lovely distress. Willy took both her hands in his. My dear Rose. you know how sorry am. Now tell me just how 1t hap pened, that we may devise the best and quickest way of recovering him again"
 Here Ernestine performed a series of contortions punctuated with moans. Leave the room, Ernestine," com manded Rose She shrieks so when l tell of it, because it was really all her fault. We'll" sinking into chair with heavy sigh, as told you over the telephone, Miss Hodgkins and l
 went shopping leaving Ernestine with Ahmed. After completing his toilet, she placed him in his basket to doze, and then took up her sewing The windows were all closed, I should
 mention, but the doors were open throughout the apartment Toward noon, Ernestine very reprehensibly decided to take nap. and throwing
 herself on the couch fell fast asleep When she woke up about an hour later. he-he-was nowhere to be seen"
 Here Rose could no longer restrain her tears. and Miss Hodgltins took uT | the thread of her narrative. At first she said in her precise well-modulated. English voice. "Ern l estine was not especially perturbed certain that Ahmed must be hiding 1 somewhere under the furniture of one l of the rooms, but after she had made | a thorough search. in which we joined oil arp1s