Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-01-04
If 1t Hadn't
BeenforCutey
By Vincent G. Perry

EAHNANNSSNNHSHANNAHNNNN~sE
copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per 6yndicate)
Harry Knowles undid the parcel
with unwilling fingers. The handwrit-
ten address on the outside had told
him What it contained. He had hoped
Madeline wouldn't take their little
quarrel so seriously. he had meant
to write her an apology; now It was
too late. One by one he lifted the
carefully wrapped articles from the
parcel. he could tell without remov-
ing the tissue paper wrapping what
each little parcel contained. The little
Square box he knew held the ring that
had sealed their betrothal-at least
they thought 1t had then. There was
the little cameo brooch he had given
her the first Christmas, when his sal
airy had been small; there was the
necklace and the amethyst ring he had
given her on her birthday. The last
little parcel he held to his ear, and
the ticking sound satisfied him It was
the engraved wrist watch that had
made her so happy the Christmas be-
fore. They were all there-every pres
ent he had given her, he thought. No,
there was one that wasn't there! But
he couldn't expect her to send Cutey
back-Cutey, the Boston terrier pup
he had bought her that summer. Cutey
wasn't a regular present, and besides
she thought too much Of the little fell
low to part with him.
But Harry didn't reckon with Made
lines pride. AS much as she loved
Cutey, she couldn't keep him because
Harry had given him to her. 1t hurt
her more to part with the little dog
than with any Of the other presents,
aud after the expressinan took him
away the flood Of tears that she had
kept back so long broke forth.
Harry gasped when he saw what the
expressman had for him. 1t certainly
must be all off with Madeline now, he
Thought. To think that she would send
Cutey backi There was nothing to do
but accept him.
When Harry was transferred lit,
tie later to Q bank In the West there
was only one thing that troubled him
MwhSt would he do With Cuteyf
The little dog had meant much to him
"a the lonely days that followed his.
bfe9kinE Of with Madeline and he
had become quite attached to 1t. The
Idsas bf parting with It hurt. There
%SGtdR't Be any place to keep the dog
when he arrived In the West, and the
season out there was jpst at Its worst
If he had thought Of that he wouldn't
have been so hasty in applying for q
transfer; but at that time he had only
one idea, and that was to get far
enough away from Madeline to for:
get. At the last moment he thought
Of sending Cutey to his sister 10 the
Country. He would be well taken care
Of and safe from harm there, he was
sure.
The first letter Harry got from biz
sister after his arrival In the West
Startled him. Cutey had been stolen,
How 1t happened the sister wasn't
sure, but the villagers blamed It on b
gypsy band that had been Seen in the
.fielghborhood. He wired notices to all
the leading papers in the vicinity Of
the village In which his sister lived.
but Without result. He wondered II
Madeline had stolen 1t, but dlspelled
that thought from his mind. Madeline
wouldn't stoop to thing like that
The West didn't prove such balm
to the wound as Harry had hoped,
and finally he decided to 90 home
hgeln. As the train upon which he
was returning to the East neared the
station he knew SO well he found him
self wondering If he would meet Made
line and how she would receive him.
Maybe she would listen to an apology
now. BE could give her back oil her
presents, just as she had sent them
back TO hin-all except Cutey. That
Settled II, she wouldn't be able to for
give him. knowing that Cpt6y was
lost. 81. buried his head In his hands
and would have passed the station IL
the conductor hadn't aroused him.
Although he had been in the city
nearly week, Harry could not muster
enough courage to call Madeline BY
telephone. A vaudeville performance
appealed to him most as a retreat
from d very lonely and tlresope eve.
Aipg. The peri otn9nce was dull, until
near the ed BR 1pihal act Vas
caught sight Of q FAMILIAR little object