Evening star., 1921-04-03
Maybe he jumped out Of one OF
the windows" I suggests.
By y'sewen Ford.

Maybe he jumped out Of one OF
the windows" I suggests.
'fBut he couldn't" says Lillith.-
"See. they're all closed. And here Is
muddy & footssep step on IN ao,en tne by vna some
wicked person. I'm sure he has"
had to admit that it looked that
way. There. were muddy tracks on
the bluestone drive, where some oooy
had sneaked in through the neaee
from the roadway. And Funny DufHe
was nowhere in sight.
What shall dog"
Better let me call up the chief Of
police" says I. "and have him be on
"oh. will you?" says she: "And
large reward Il my precious pet is
1 .sure.. says 1. IT think I'll do a
little scoutin' myself This looks
funny to me-a daylight job right in
my own dooryard. I'll get out the
roadster and drive down toward the
village"
notices Sully curled up placid on the
window seat again with his book ana
payin' no attention to the excitement.
Even when l phones Barney about
the dog he don't crash In with any
L. L
though, to stop and explain to MIN
and I didn't think much about it.
On, the way downtown / kept a
sharp watch. but l saw no tramp
with a white poodle under his arm
In fact, all I passed was that old
So the disappearance of Fluffy
DUNE developed fast into a first-rate
mystery. We talked about 1t at din
: fVl1f
couldn't dope anything out.
! Must have been somebody" sug-
costs, that knew how foolish the
old girl was over that wooIly llttle
insect. You know when she thought
great hoiler and offered that hundred.
dollar reward. Why. a dog thief
would be lucky If he could unload q
little freak like that for ten. Don't
seem as if it would be worth WHILE
does IT." 1900. "p,. w,o
could have done such a thing? Right
under our very noses, too. Do you
know. Shorty, 1 feel rather respoh-
sible."
"Uh-huh," says l. ME. too. I'll
ner."
But Barney hasn't got any clue;
He says he's given description OF
the dog to his two night men ana sent
word into PortcheSter' Tor the 1orce
there to have an eye out.
You know she'll como across with
any amount up to a hundred II you
can get him back" says
Sure I know" says Barney. Leave
it to me- II that pups anywhere In
my district TIL find him.
The chief always talks that way,
though. But there's a good deal Of
heavy timberin' in Barneys loft. and
had my doubts II the swipin' had
been done anywhere else l wouldn't
have worried over it minute; but
to have it pulled right on my own
plac-weIl, that was different. They
might come back after something
else.
1 was still puzzlin' over the case
at 1890 that night when the phone
rang and some female began to jab-
Der excited. Finally I makes out
that it's Miss Cutting:
"Eh?' says /. Whats that you
say? Who ran some?"
mo, no." says she. II say 1 have
paid the ransom for the return Of my
precious Fluffy Duffie. He was kid
naped. you know. But 1 have him
| back again. safe and sound. and he's
! sleeping on his dear little pillow just
see here. Miss Cutting" says l.
Just a minute. What's all-this about
a ransom? Who'd you pay it tor
'Oh, I'm sure I don't know who
got it." says she. "AH I know is that
see. some one telephoned about {
O'Clock and said that II wanted my
Fluffy back ] must leave the money
on certain gatepost out on the road
So. did, and. that's all there is to it
except that I'm SO happy car
! Yes. / understand that much" say,
l. You took the mOhey out yotr.
sell. did you?'
"oh, dear no." says she. I didn'
dare. sent Helma with it. 1t wa.
only down to the Van Gould place
You know. where there are those biz
4 stone gatepostsg' -. - .
4, 8! get you." says I. House set
back among the trees and there's. n,
; street light out 'front.' Wen. hoy
long after you sent the money was i
before the dog was returned?"
Not half en- hour" says she. "w
| heard a rap at the kitchen door. an,
when we opened it there was dea
little Fluffy"
'Loose?"
"No. in box" says she. "Tha
is. It was crate OF some sort"
"Eh?" says l. "A crater" ~., -
Such as Strawberries are shippe
> in." she adds.
|, "oh. yes" says I. And how mucl
was it you had to send-a hundred !?
> just what the person who phoned toll
me to send. And If it hadn't bee
that Helma could lend me som
money 1 shouldn't have been able t
make up the exact sum-
"Forty-seven. fifty. eh?'' says
That's odd, too. Andt they kney
right where to call you, didn't they
D Something crooked about all thi.
, Miss Cutting. It's no plain case o
dog steaIin'. We ought to get to tn
. bottom of this"
"Oh. please don't bother" says shs
1T have my darling precious agaiI
E so nothing else matters. l. don't wis
to have anything more done .abou
! | the affair Really"
Tn hvnf