Evening star., 1922-11-12

Elizabeth noticed that.
She smiled upon him. 1t was not
the fault of this nice-looking young
man that his sitting-room window
was open or that Joseph was an un-
grateful little beast who should have
no fish that night.
Would you mind letting mo have
my cat, please?" she said pleasantly.
He has gone into your sitting room
through the window"
He looked family surprised.
Your cat?" n
by black cat-Joseph. He is Tn
your sitting room."
I'm afraid you have come to the
wrong place. Eve just left my sit
ting room, and the only cat there is
my black cat-Reginald."
But 1 saw Joseph go in only
minute ago.
That was Reginald"
For the first time, as one who, ex-
amining a fair shrub. abruptly dis
covers that 1t is poison ivy, Elizabeth
realized the truth. This was no in
nocent young man who stood before
her, but the blackest criminal known
to criminologists-a stealer Of other
peoples cats Her manner shot down
to zero.
May ask how long you have had
your Reginald"
Since four o'clock this afternoon"
Did he come in through the win
dow"
why, yes, now you mention 1t, he
did"
II must ask you to be good enough
to give me back my cat" said Eliza
beth icily.
He regarded her defensively.
Assuming" he said, purely for
the purpose of academic argument,
that your Joseph is my Reginald.
couldn't we come to an agreement of
some sort? Let me buy you another
cat-a dozen cats"
Il don't want a dozen cats-I want
Joseph"
Fine fat, soft cats" he went on
persuasively. Lovely. affectionate
Persians and Angoras. and"
"Of course, If you intend to steal
Joseph
Those are harsh words. Any law
yer will tell you that there are spe-
cial statutes regarding cats. To re-
tain a stray cat Is not a tort or
malfeasance. In the celebrated test
case of Virgins versus Bluebody it
was established"
will you please give me- back my
cat?"
CHE stood facing him. her chin in
y in the air and her eyes shining.
and the young man suddenly fell
victim to conscience.
Look here" he said. TIL throw
myself on your mercy. I admit the
cat is your cat and that I have no
right to 1t and that l am just COM
mon sneak thief. But consider. I
had just come back from the first re-
hearsal of my first play. and as I
walked in at the door that cat walked
in at the window. I'm superstitious
and felt that to give him up would
be equivalent to killing the play be-
fore ever it was produced. You have
no idotic superstitions. You are sane
and practical But in the ci.cum-
stances II you could see your way to
waving your rights"
Before the wistfulness of his eye
Elizabeth capitulated. How she had
misjudged him. She had taken him
for an ordinary, soulless purlotner OF
cats, a snapper-up of cats at random
and without reason, and all the time
he had been reluctntly compelled to
the act by this deep and praiseworthy
motive. All the unself1shness and love
of sacrifice innate in good women
stirred within her.
why, of course, you mustn't let
him go. 1t would mean awful bad
luck"
But how about your
Never mind about me. Think oi
all the people who are dependent on
your play being success.
The young man blinked.
This is overwhelming" he said.
IT had no notion why you wanted
him. He was nothing to meat least.
nothing much-that is to say-well, I
suppose I was rather fond Of him, but
he was not--not-"
"vital?"
That's just the word I wanted. He
was just company, you know
Haven't you many friends?'
IT haven't any friends"
You haven't any friends? That set |
ties it. You must take him back"
'T couldn't think Of it,
But. good gracious! how do you
suppose l should feel. knowing that
you were all alone and that had
sneaked your-your ewe-lamb, as 1t
were?'
And how do you sprose I should
feel If your play failed simply for
lack of black cat?'
He started and ran his fingers
through his rough hair in an over
wrought manner.
Solomon couldn't have solved this
problem" he said. How would it be
1T seems the only possible way out
if you were to retain a sort of man.
agerial right in him? Couldn't you
sometimes step across and chat with
him-and me, incidentally-over here?
I'm very nearly as lonesome as you
are. Chicago is my home. I hardly |
know a soul in New York"
Her solitary life in the big city had !
forced upon Elizabeth the ability to
form instantaneous judgments on the
men she met. She flashed a glance at
the young man and decided in his
favor.
IT'S very kind Of you," she said
II should love to. I want to hear all
about your play. I write myself in a
small way so a successful playwright ]
Is somebody to me-"