The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-01-06
The Homeless
Black Cat
By WINlFRED N b

Copyright. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.
Croft Waddington voted it q blessed
chance that impelled him to spoil a
good suit of clothes, indulge in a chill
ing bath and place himself under q
doctors carr for a week. 1t was all
for a cat, a skinny, homeless, lima
tured black cat, only--the feline had
leaped into disaster from the soft
graceful arms Of the most radiant
young girl Croft had ever seen.
He had been only a week at Durham
and was a" stranger there. He had
worked too hard for five years for q
great oil concern in the city and had
broken down. Valued and popular, the
giant monopoly had given him two
months salary in advance and a lib
eral bonus and had told him to get out
into the country and build up
1t was dull at the dead little town
he had come to. He had come upon
the girl on a rustic bridge crossing
a narrow but deep stream. At a glance
Croft saw that she was in direful dis
tress. She had been carrying half-cov.
cred up in a light wrap the black cat
in question. 1t had given a sudden
leap for freedom. The animal missed
the rail aimed for, and with a resound.
ing howl and a splash struck the wa
ter and disappeared under it.
There was a vivid scream from the
young lady. Croft leaped lightly ovel
the rail. There was q second splash
Nina screamed again.
"With apologies from both," OBJ
served Croft with a faint smile as he
held the wilted and bedraggled feline
towards her.
"Oh, why did your" cried Nina, her
eyes sparkling, her lips distended, hel
hand resting gratefully on his arm
dripping as it was-"but oh, how
grand"
ut was worth it-for the cat" de
clared Croft as Nina caressed the res
cued animal. She flushed and tried tt
change the direct theme,
"YOu know l teach music in the vii
lage," she went on in her artless way
II would ask you to the COTTAGE
proceeded Nina in deep embarrass
ment, but you must be-dried."
"The u will do that" insisted
Croft gaily. "The cottage-your home
l presume? And in this lovely spot
l should like to see it," and thus, un
kempt as he was, the venturesom
Croft glided along by the side of thu
dainty little miss, an insistent and ad
miring cavalier, a~nd-caught the COLI
Of his life.
He went to sleep that night dream
! ing of Il stroll to that same WOODLAND
cottage. He awoke with a sore throa
and a fever and a doctor sent for
More than once, after a day or tw,
when he was over the crisis, he heart
a gentle feminine voice speak in tn
outer apartment. His landlady toll
him it was Miss Vincent.
Then there was a beautiful bouque
of wild flowers brought to him eacl
day.
The next day Croft essayed one 0
his customary walks-Of course to
wards the woodland cottage. She ha,
chided herself as the cause of his Ill
ness-a rush of words. to check her
self with a conscious blush in the mids
of telling how he had not left he
thoughts.
"Hence these tears?" he intimate,
smilingly.
"Oh, dear, mol" she disclaimed-1
is Cleo"
"Cleo?" he repeated ignorantly.
cleopatra, the black cat"
"Ah, I understand now" bowe
Croft. "In trouble again|
"In dreadful trouble" declared Nina
and the corners of her pretty mout
drew down dismally. "From the frs
aunty has rebelled-says a black ca
brings bad luck. I have traced he
to a burrow owe near the creek, bu
I can't coax her out"
LET me help you."
Behold the convalescent, lively as
cricket, one-half an hour later bendin
over a reck-strewn spot with a mate
and looking down a cavernous hol
where two bright eyes glOwed.
"Tye got her." he announced, an
drew out the truant. AS Croft did s
he dropped the lighted match into
little pool at II side. There was
flash.
"Oil!" he said, in some surpris'
"Quite a find. Miss Vincent, l wish I
investigate this"
One week later Miss Clarinda Me-
bit walked into town to sign over tn
old farm for a royal sum to the grea
oil monopoly.
' She carried in Ter arms, tender