Mexico Missouri message., 1918-01-17
If 1t Hadn't
Been Cutey
SIS
a.
BY Vincent c. Peny

Harry Knowles undid the parcel
with unwilling fingers. The hnndwrlt-
ten address on the outside had told
aim what Il contained. He had hoped
Madeline wouldn't take their little
quarrel so seriously. He had meant
20 write her an apology; now II 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 Il 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
Riven her on her birthday. The last
little parcel he held to his ear, and
the ticking sound satisfied him 1t 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 therel But
he couldn't expect her to send Cutey
baCS-Cutey, the Boston terrier pup
he had bought her that summer. Cutey
wasn't q regular present, and besides
shs thought too much Of the little fel-
BOW 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 10 her. 1t hurt
her more to part with the little dog
than with any of the other presents,
and after the expressman 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
lie later TO a bank in the West there
was only one thing that troubled him
what would he do with Cutey?
The little dog had meant much TO him
in the lonely days that followed his
breaking off with Madeline and he
had become quite attached to II. The
idea of parting with II hurt. There
wouldn't be any place to keep the dog
when he arrived in the West, and the
season out there was Just at Its worst.
II he had thought Of that he wouldn't
have been so hasty in applying for n
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 in the
country. He would be we'll taken care
OF and safe from harm there, he was
sure.
The first letter Harry got from HIS
sister after his arrival in the West
startled him. Cutey had been stolen.
How II happened the sister wasn't
sure, but the villagers blamed IT on a
gypsy band that had been seen in the
neighborhood. 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 II, but dispelled
tEat thought from his mind. Madeline
wouldn't stoop to thing like that.
The West didn't prove such balm
10 the wound as Harry had hoped
and finally he decided to go home
ngain. AS the train upon which he
was returning to the East neared the
station he knew so well he found him
self wondering II he would meet Made
line, and how she would receive him.
Maybe abe would listen to an apology
now. He could give her back all her
presents, just as she had sent them
back to him--all except Cutey. That
settled II, 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
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 a very lonely and tiresome eve
ming. The performance was duh, until
near the end an animal act was
staged. Harry sat bolt upright as he
caught sight OF familiar little object
ON the stage. Yes, It was the same
walk and the same little wag of the
tail; the markings were Just the same
and the color exact. The quaint little
bark assured him. There wasn't two
dogs In all the world with a bark like
that! 1t was Cuteyl What had he
best, dOf He could hardly restrain
himself when he saw the little dog
cow before tho brutal looking trainer
10 see the puace. he thought. would be
the best plan, and he hurried from the
Gheater.
He tried not to appear excited as he
explained to the sergeant at the police
station.
"Have you any way Of identifying
hlm as the dog you had stOlenY" asked
che sergeant.