Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1919-07-25

He deciueu that he Lad been thrown
over" and, having a proud. sensitive
nature, he resolved to stay away from
Velma.
He did not know that the head OF
the music sales department of the en-
tire nationwide chain Of emporium
stores was in the city that evening to
take an inventory Of the two local es-
Establishments and that Velma and this
official were simply on their way from
one of the stores to the other when
Ned saw them.
When Velma said she would be
busy that night she meant 1t In lit
eral sense, and she was not entertain
ing some other young man, notwith-
standing appearances.
Velma felt as bad about it as Ned,
but she likewise possessed consid-
cradle amount Of pride, and, knowing
she was in the right, although realiz-
ing the circumstantial evidence was
against her, she would not permit her
self to take the first step toward
reconciliation.
One evening, shortly after the
"busy" one, while she was trying to
read and failing because Of thoughts
that intruded, she suddenly came to
q realization that Beethoven had dis
appeared. He had been in the room
only a moment previous and must
have slipped out when Velma went to
Here was a chance to give her mind
diversion and at the same time per-
haps fathom the mystery of the miss
ing cat. She stepped to the door and
looked out.
Yes, far down the hall was Beetho-
ven, just starting down the stairs. She
followed him to the second and then
to the first floor, and finally into the
back part Of the basement, which was
used as a storeroom and which con-
tanned the furnace. From distance
she saw the cat crawl through win
dow Of the basement, and she hurried
upstairs and darted outside.
Beethoven was walking close to the
building, peering into various win
dows that came in his way. She saw
him stop before one near the front OF
the house, and as she watched hand
came out of the aperture and seized
the cat, drawing him inside. Without
stopping to consider whose room Bee
:thoven had entered, Velma hurried to
the window and stood looking down at
! Ned holding the cat in his arms.
"What are you doing with my
cat?" she demanded, in what was In
tended to be stern tones.
"Your cat?" Ned inquired, trying to
be somewhat cold. "What do you
mean? This is my cat"
Hes mime and his name is Beetho-
ven!" she snapped.
Each looked defiance at the other
for a moment, then smiles took the
place of scowls on both the faces.
1--WE both seem to own him." Velma
said, demurely, kicking pebble with
! her small boot. "What can we do to
settle it?''
A desperate thought entered Ned's
mind. Here was chance to find out
his fate and all the uncertainty he
had been laboring under for months.
Fearing he would be lost If he hest
tated, he gave voice to the big idea
without waiting for chance to change
his mind.
Standing there framed by the base
ment window, cat crawling over his
shoulder, looking up eagerly and
somewhat timorously at girl outside
who was kicking a pebble around fool
ishly to hide her confusion, he said:
'There's only one way I know. Let's
form a permanent partnership Of our
selves, and that will make all three of
! us happy. At least, I am in hopes
that it will"
She gave the pebble furious kick
that sent it spinning away.
1T sure WILL" was her reply.