Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-16

Helen tapped against the glass. but there
was no motion. She tapped again with
the metal clasp Of her purse. This time
Its eyes half opened and II raised It's
head. But when il tried TO struggle to Its
feet 1t fell back weakly with a soundless
new
The situation was plain. The kitten had
been shut up in this empty store How
long had II been there? Its starving
condition told OF many days
Helen shop the door. but II was locked,
Iof course. She went back and gazed
through the clear place Of the smearcd
window into the empty room. There were
a few boards, some old shelving. a
broken chair, and some rubbish In q cor
ner-nothing else.
Again she tapped on the window and
again the kitten raised its head and looked
at her piteousiy, but this time made no
4 effort to stand.
How could she get it out? She ran into
the next door. a dingy locksmith shop.
An old man was filing key. He could
hardly speak English and only shrugged
his shoulders at her excited questions.
He didn't know anything about the cat
or the empty shop. Didn't remember how
long 1t had been vacant. And when Helen
' asked frandcaIIy for the janitor or care
ltaker he answered sullenly that there
wasn't any. The grating sound Of the
file and the mans indifference was more
than she could otand.
On the other side was a cheap saloon.
She couldn't go in there. She looked
around In despair. 1t was q poor neigh
borhood, mostly Italians. She had come
over in search OF the place where Mrs
Stevens bought her olive oil And 1t was
in looking for this place that Helen had
CHANGED to see this wretched little kitten.
What could she do? The kitten must
be gotten out at once or 1t would be too
late. Even now It might be too weak to
live.
II only she could find a policeman. But
there was none in sight She ran up to
the next corner and then on to the next,
but there was still no officer. She hur-
ried on still another block. and then saw
one farther on in the center of the street..
When she rushed up to him and breath
ilessly told her story. he answered stolidly:
Sorry, ma'am, but I can't leave my
beat. / guess the cat amt starvin'; It'll
r.zget all the rats it warts"
"oh, but it's a Httlo tiny kitten. It's
too young to catch rats"
We'll, I'm sorry, ma'am," obstinately
but 1 can't leave my beat"
Fiercely indignant, Helen started back
to the empty shop. On the way she passed
a drug store with the familiar blue tele-
phone sign. For a moment she paused uu-
certain before the door and then entered
determinedly. The phone was on counter
in the rear. Quickly she called up Warren.
Dear, are you very busy? she asked
excitedly.
We'll. I'm not exactly twiriing my
thumbs. why?''
''Oh, couldn't you come up here2 There
a wretched little kitten locked in an
empty shop. It's so weak II can't stand.
L can't get anybody to help me get 1t out.
Oh, can't you Gomez"
Leave my work on some wild goose
chase for a stray ca? What DO you take
me for?'
"0h, but Warren. II you could only see
Itch, 1 know you'd come It's 50 weak
and SO pitiful-it tries to drag itself to
4 its 1=et and then falls back and looks at
me so piteously. "oh." with a sob In
her voice. think Of that poor little thing
being shut UP there for days without
food or water. And it's SO helpless. Oh,
il you don't come" with a sob. n don't
die like that
There was pause and then he said
gruffly: