The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-01-04


Knowles undld the parcel
with willing fingers. The handwrit-
sen ADDRESS on the outside had told
aim what 1t contained. He had hoped
Madeline wouldn't take their little
quarrel so seriously. He had meant
80 write her an apology; now 1t was
900 late. One by one he lifted the
carefully wrapped articles from the
asarrai. He could tell without remov-
0ng the tissue paper wrapping what
each little parcel contained. The little
square box he knew held the ring that
had sealed their betrothal-@t least
they thought it had then. There was
the little cameo brooch he had given
fzer the first Christmas, when his sal
airy had been small; there was the
|saecklace and the amethyst ring he had
1gIven her on her birthday. The last
liftIe parcel he held to his ear, and
iEhe ticking sound satisfied him 1t was
me engraved wrist watch that had
alaade her so happy the Christmas be-
fofe. They were all there every pres
3mf he had Aven her, he thought No,
there was that wasn't there! But
nc coui6 beet her to send Cutey
sssack- ca he Boston terrier pup
ssae had bougS her that summer. Cutey
wasa't regMar present, and besides
es5sa thought too much Of the little fell
low TO part with him.
ERnt Harry didn't reckon with Made
STincrs pride. AS much as she loved
Esstey, she couldn't keep him because
Magry had given him to her. 1t hurt
ia1ez more to part with the. little dog
siaan VA any of the other presents,
and after the expressman took him
aaway the flood of teara hat >she had
Kept back so long broke forth.
= mmry gasped when he saw what the
sexYxvssl,aan had for him. 1t certainly
snust be all off with Madeline now, he
Mlsvught. To think that she would send
EhstB backi There was nothing to do
but accept him.
when Harry was transferred lit
Gle later TO bank in the West there
I sguss fUriIy one, thing that troubled him
-zsvhut would he do with Cutey?
6sYee little dog had meant much to him
I'm me lonely days that followed his
breaking off with Madeline and he
hssd become quite attached to it. The
lfa5ea Of parting with It hurt. There
wouldn't be any place to keep the dog
when he arrived in the West, and the
season out theee was just at its worst.
III he had thought Of that he wouldn't
Naaxe been so hasty in applying for
txrssnsGer; but at that time he had only
snne idea, and that was to get far
enough away from Madeline to for
get. At the last moment he thought
d sending Cutey to his sister in the
country. He would be well taken care
of and safe from harm there, he was
szure.
CHE first letter Harry got from his
asster after his arrival in the West
startled him. Cutey had been stolen.
How it happened the sister wasn't
esure, but the villagers blamed 1t on
gypsy band that had been seen In the
xaeighborhood He wired notices to all
the leading papers in the vicinity OF
the village in which his sister lived,
gg9lsk without result He wondered If
Madeline had stolen it, but dispelled
4ast thought from his mind. Madeline
srou1dn't stoop to thing like that.
The West didn't prove such a balm
30 the wound as Harry had hoped,
=mnd finally he decided to go home
sgain. AS the train upon which he
was returning to the East neared the
station he knew so we'll he found him
self wondering If he would meet Made
Sine, and how she would receive him.
Maybe she would listen to an apology
nav. He could give her back all her
presents, just as she mad sent them
back to him--all except Cutey. That
settled it, she wouldn't be able to for
give him. knowing that Cutey was
lost- He buried his head in his hands
and would have passed the station If
sxbe conductor hadn't aroused him.
Although he had been in the city
szseariy a week, Harry could not muster
.en0ngf courage to call Madeline by
sExlephUne. A vaudeville performance
sseaaed to him most as retreat
n very lonely and tlresome eve
&. The performance was dull, until
|zEar the end an animal act was
Staged. Harry sat bolt upright as he
ranglit sight OF familiar little object
.on the stage. Yes, it was the same
kxalk and the same little wag Of the
taiI the markings were just the same