The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-24

she never had seen the young man
before. that she believed his story
about losing dog or that he cared
anything about seeing the puppy.
As Norma hesitated she caugr- ais
gaze directly. The girl flushed. In
a voice that was not quite natural
she said suddenly, "I'll show him
to you. Wen have to go down to
the basement"
She led the way. to door at the
rear OF the dimly lighted hall. 1t
would have been b'stter, Norma
realized as soon as the words were
out of her mouth, for her to have
gone alone, and brought the puppy
upstairs
There was no need for TraverS
to follow into that grime-covereo
region which served as a general
storeroom. Travers was impeccably
dressed.
His steady tread followed hel
light footsteps on the rickety stairs
Norma snapped the switch and pale
electricity Illuminated the base
nlent.
TITS back here" she said over heI
shoulder They went through an
open doorway into the rear Of the
basement. This was the storeroom
and here, on his folded blanket, the
pup sat erect, blinked at them.
n
II vIDENTLY the sound of their
IL footsteps had awakened him.
For an instant the puppy stared
then bounded forward with a yelp.
"Mrr-phl Mrr-ph!" he barked
joyously. "MRR-PH!'
Norma stopped and picked him
up. She held him in her arms, rub
bling the velvety head.
why, he looks a lot better!"
Travers exclaimed, forgetting his
pose. Been feeding him, haven't
you?"
Bread and milk" Norma in
formed him. "The night brought
him here he really was nearly
starved. You should have seen him
go after a bowl of milk!"
She gave her attention to the
pup. That's all right, Wowser," she
said, caressing the silky fur. Would
you like to go upstairs now and
have some supper? Were you
lonely down here all day?"
"Wowser! Is that the name you
have given him?"
Don't you think it's good one?
He stays here in the basement
night and during the day he can
get out in the yard whenever he
wants to through that window. The
yard is fenced. There's no danger
Of his getting away"
Listen" Mark Travers spoke
earnestly, you know I think it's
swell of you to take care of this
little NUT the way you have. Feed
him and look out for him, actually
spend money to try to find the peo-
pie he belongs to-"
why, Mr.. Travers!" The girl
touched the puppy's warm fur to
her cheek. She was smiling. "I
thought you came here to inquire
about the dog you've lost You
haven't said word about whether
or not this puppy is yours. Aren't
you-er-forgetting YOURSELF"
TRAVERS grinned. Suppose I
Il am" he admitted. 1T wasn't
really dog I lost, though. 1t was
a gil. She wouldn't tell me her
name or her telephone number, but
she dio say something about placing
a want ad to find the owner of a
stray pup.
I've read every edition of every
newspaper published in this town
for the last two days! I've tried
to think up a hundred different
schemes to find you and none Of
them were practical"
Now was certainly the time to
end this interview 1t was a mis-
take to have brought the young man
downstairs, Norma realized.
In the dusty basement, holding a
SqulIllllIlS puppy, IL was pracClcally
impossible for her to assume for
NAL tone and send Mr.. Mark Trav-
ers about his business. No more
could she stand there listening to
the speeches she was certain would
be forthcoming in another moment.
They would be f1attering speeches.
BY the light in the young mans
eyes, by the tone of his voice, she
was very sure of that. Norma had
heard just such Zines" before and
put faith in none of them.
No, the situation must be met
firmly.
She turned toward the youth.
We'll, Mr.. Travers," she said, "since
this isn't your dog we may as we'll
go back upstairs. I'll take Wowser