Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-02-20


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it out of the eyelets. This seemed
to satisfy him, for the nonce at least.
He strolled easily over to the fire.
place, and then with a single move
not gather himself, he scared up on
the mantel and lay there stretched
out like long furry shelf throw.
DO you mean you are going to
keep this savage creature here in
your house? I asked Bill. How
do he and the Jap get along?'
mot so we'll. The Jap keeps pretty
! well to his own diggings when he
is around, and that is satisfactory,
for he used to come in and talk
10 me about the six day bicycle race
for hours together, and I don't care
much about six day bicycle races.
have to keep Arthur locked up while
meals are being served. The first
time Arthur took couple of chops
off the table when the Jap had just
put them there, there was row,
and ] nearly lost a good house boy.
There's Sort of an armed neutrality
between them now, but the Jap would
cut his throat if he dared to-"
! "I wouldn't blame him."
"Oh you won't talk like that after
you get used to Arthurs little ways.
! He plays round just like a young
puppy, and l think I'll be able to
teach him some tricks after a while.
Poor little devil, 1 suppose he's lone
some here when I'm away, and longs
for his native wilds again. But I
always wanted an animal pet of some
kind. and dogs are so hard 20 raise
He walked over to the mantel.
Again I detected a baleful glance
in Arthur's green and yellow eyes.
I wasn't so sure that he was as fond
of Bill as he appeared to be, but
by and by Bill began trailing a
string in front of him, and he spared
at it like a kitten.
1t was about that time that it
developed that Bill hadn't any cigar
cites and after cursing the Jap for
negligence he asked me if I would
mind running him down to the store
in my car and getting him some.
"Well take Arthur with u.s. he said,
"the fresh air will do him good
''Supposing he jumps out of the
carr"
mo fear. I'll keep him on a
leash"
Bill wanted to get in the front
seat with me, taking Arthur on his
lap. But I declined to have the
brute so near me when I was driving.
It was a rainy slippery night, and
I am nervous anyway when driving
after dark. So the wildcat and his
owner got into the back seat. Bill
kept his pet busy for a while by
rounding turn, with the blazer
Eof an approaching car in my eyes
Arthur lost interest in his master,
and turned his attention to me.
Springing suddenly he slipped the
leash out of Bits hand, and landed
on the back of my neck, digging
all his claws in to hold on.
Well, 1 ran into telegraph pole.
It was lucky we were going slow.
AS it was I dented in the radiator,
and bent the front axle so the wheels
toed in like a pigeons. We got out
and Bill telephoned for taxi. He
tucked Arthur under his overcoat,
and 7 guess the driver mistook the
brute for some liquor, for he didn't
says anything
I got to the doctors as soon as
I could, and tried to explain to him
what had happened. He was clearly
incredulous.
"If the other fellow had had a
dagger instead of an ice pick you
wouldn't 4 be needing my services.
ought TO take stitches in these
wounds, but we'll try adhesive, and
if it doesn't work come around to-
morrow and TIL fix them up for you.
Have you had the fellow arrested
yet?"
The wounds healed, although they
left scars. I nursed my resentment
for several weeks, and then I met
Bill on the street one day. He was
covered with adhesive from the ears
to the end of his nose, and then
up to his forehead. I nodded a
him coldly and passed on. Then
felt sympathetic, and came back and
put my arm around his shoulder.
ARTHUR" I inquired.
Yes said Bill, Hes a tempera-
mental little devil, and sometimes I
think he wasn't as fond of me as he
used to be. But that's all over now"
"How do you mean, all over?"
well, he broke into the Jap's
room one morning and landed on him
in bed The Jap was waiting for him
with one of those long Japanese
knives, and there wasn't much left
cf Arthur but a lot of ribbons"
"You fired the Jap, of course"
"No-you see it's hard to get an
other good Jap, and I can get another
wildcat by telegraphing to that trap
per. Maybe I will some day, but,
well, I don't need another wildcat
right now
SO Bill and I are friends again,
and will be until another wildcat
comes between us, which | fancy will