The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-05-18
and young woman advanced into the

I II came. she announced. ABOUT Ei5
cat My maid tells me that you have
been wiJlfuily harboring it. She has
| actually been obliged to fight for its
ownership with your stupidity stubborn
! servant" The girl caught her breath
wrathfully. "But-but last night was
the limit of impertinence Wasn't it
| enough to keep my cat locked here for
days without inscribing your address
upon her collar?"
Il assure you" Philip began humbly,
that l have made no effort to entice
| your pet She dropped, as it were.
| from out of clear sky found her
one evening tapping, gently tapping.
| at my frosted windowpane.
The girl glanced toward the window
contemptuously. IF you persist in
| treating the matter as joke" she re
marked with dignity: then her eyes
widened in childish wonder.
Look therer' she cried. Upon the
outer sill. eight stories high above the
| street, olung a small furry ball. "Why
why. she must have crept out of our
| roof window" said the girl, land on
| down that narrow ledge"
| AS before. Philip cautiously raised
| the sash. while the black cat made it's
! way to the hearth rug. there to sit
blinking wickedly back at them both.
1 She came presently to nestle against
1 Philips shoulder raising her paw to
/ deal playful blow.
| oh" she breathed. "Oh, SO it was
| you also who taught her THAR
| The girl took the cat and moved to-
| ward the doorway. There she paused.
| I'VE will return the collar with it's
| atrocious name" she said and a mis-
chievous smile flashed over her face
| Philip followed the graceful figure
to the vestibule. Jack Johnson seem
ed a fitting name to me-" he replied.
"Would you mind telling the real oneT
| For moment the girl hesitated. her
hand upon the knob; then she looked
back with dancing eyes. 1.-The little
cats real name" she repeated DELHI
erately, lis Lady Lillian"
/ Philip sat long before the fire that
night in pleasant reverie, and during
the days which followed he seemed
possessed Of feverish spirit of unrest.
do you know" he asked of Tenno,
1.-THE name Of the lady who owns our
cat?" And Tenno shook his head.
| mot the name," he answered regret
fully. but the number Of her apart
ment is 50. 1t is there that l dispute
with the maid"
| Then with an inspiration born Of dull
and tagging hours Philip drew toward
him pen and paper. ITO the Lady Lii
!, liam. suit ST. he scribbled: then wrote:
my abject remorse impels me to
further apology for OBTAINING you from
the presence Of your mistress. but If
she could for one moment appreciate
! the utter. desperate loneliness Of
bachelors convalescence she would, l
am sure. not only pardon his late Of
Tense, but would still lend you to him
occasionally to Overland to sketch.
There are times when one can be CRATE
ful for the affection of-even small
black cat"
Philip smiled whimsically as he bold
II signed his name, and when the note
had been dispatched he marveled at
the eager impotence with which he
awaited reply. He anticipated Ten
no In answering the bell next moraing.
and there. sure enough, in the corri-
dor stood the girl with the cat In her
arms.
I'VE did not know you had been ILL.,"
said the girl gently. 'or that 30 popular
an artist could be-lonely. We"-she
hesitated In pretty dif1dence-"we were
rather rude the other day and are anx-
ious b make amends. Lady Lillian
shall come whenever you wish. and ]
will call to take her home. She is hon
ored, am sure. to be the subject Of
sketch" And before Philip could
stammer out his thanks the girl hur-
ried down the hall. In an inexplicably
happy mood he carried the black cat
into the house, while those tenderly
sympathetic eyes seemed still shining
into his own. And every morning
thereafter Philip listened with painful
intensity for the ringing Of the bell,
while the few words exchanged in the
corridor, memory of a sweet appraised
face changed the routine of exist
ence'' into real joyous Giving"
"You feel much better. sir, Mr.. Dun
combe7" the faithful servant asked.
Better" he cried, better! am go
ing to draw great picture. Tenno.
The name Of the picture is Home"
And as the face Of the pictured woman
grew into being it was very like that
Of the girl A transformed Philip Dun
combe sharpened his Ct ons In fresh
enthusiasm, and then with cruel sud-
denness his dream was shattered.
1.-THE husband of the lady who owns
the black cat" Tenno informed him,
"has also purchased dog"
Philip stared dumbly. THE hus-
band. you say. Of the LADY," he re-
peated dazedly. Tenno nodded In con-
firmation.
"She passed me IN the hall. and
when / asked Of the janitor who she
was he replied:
"She is little married woman liv-
fuO IN crit KO and that IN hor husband