The Argosy, January 1907 — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AN done now,” he said. “ Miss Merry- weather’s prize cat!”’ “Take it away!” shrieked~ Mrs. Scales. ‘“ Take it away at once! What did you bring the horrid thing in here for? Oh, you bad, wicked dog!” and she shook her finger at the impatient cul- prit. “It’s all your fault, George. You had no business to open the door so care- lessly. Jim might have run away.” “No such luck,” returned Mr. Scales grimly. “If I thought he’d do that I would leave every door in the house open. ‘The question is—what’s to be done about this cat? Miss Merryweather will be frantic.”’ " Was any Scales inquired. ‘“ Not a soul,” replied her husband. “Phere was nobody near, and the cat hardly made a sound. I lost no time in getting the poor thing into the house, you may be sure.” “Oh, well,” said Mrs. Scales, in a greatly relieved tone, “I don’t see that it really matters so very much. Of course, I'm awfully sorry for the poor cat and Miss Merryweather, but I don’t see how we can be held responsible. Jim isn’t our dog, you know.” “[ hope Miss Merryweather will ap- preciate the distinction,” Mr. Scales re- marked bitterly. . ‘There is no reason why she should know anything about it,’ Mrs. Scales re- plied sharply. “It would be most un- kind to tell her. ‘Think what her feel- ings would be! Such a dreadful death!” Mr. Scales, still holding -the cat by the tail, stared at his wife in silent amaze. “What you had better do, George,” that lady continued, “is to put the body in the gellar, and to-night, when it is dark, you can slip out and bury it in the back garden.’ Miss Merryweather is sure to think it has been stolen, and as a - valuable cat like that would be well taken care of, she will not feel so badly about it. Really, George, it’s far the most Christianlike way to settle it.” ‘And supposing she asks whether we have seen it?” Mr. Scales hazarded. “Oh, well,” replied Mrs. Scales easily, ‘vou can say that when you went out of the house to go to your office you saw it sitting on the stoop. That would be the truth.” E one watching?” Mrs. EXPENSIVE BOARDER. 223 With another ‘long stare, Mr. Scales turned speechlessly away, and bearing his burden to the cellar, laid it on a re- mote shelf. Then, having first ascer- tained that Jim was safe up-stairs, he departed for his office, his mind a whirl of conflicting emotions. Late that same night, Mr. Scales, bear- ing a spade and a soap-box coffin, slipped out into the garden, and, with many un- easy glances over his shoulder, consigned the body of the cat to the tomb. He realized to the full the sensations of a murderer disposing of his victim, and it was a positive relief to get back into the well-lighted house. His one consolation was the attitude of friendliness assumed by Jim, who evi- dently regarded his host as a confeder- ate in crime and treated him with marked cordiality. The following evening Mr. and Mrs. Scales were seated in the study, the former busy with his paper and_ the latter engaged in.some sewing, when the wife broke a long silence by saying: ‘Miss Merryweather was in to-day about her cat.” “Oh!” said Mr. Scales. did you tell her?” “Just what you told me to say,’ re- plied Mrs. Scales placidly. Mr. Scales looked hard at his wife, and was about to demand further ex- planations, but thought better of it. ‘“ Where’s Jim?” he inquired. “In the breakfast-room, I fancy,” Mrs. Scales replied. ‘‘ He went in there after dinner and curled up on_ his cushions. Shall I call him?” “T guess we can worry along without his society,” said Mr. Scales. ‘So long as he is out of mischief, I don’t care where he is. By the way, I expect But- terworth may drop round to-night. He is just back from New York.” The words. were hardly out of Mr. Scales’s mouth when the door-bell was rung sharply, and a moment later a step resounded in the hall. “ T'll bet that’s Butterworth now,” he added. “He didn’t wait for Emma to open the door. Knows he’s always wel- come. Yes, that’s his step, for a hun dred. He’s coming up.” There was no doubt that the person who had just entered the house was com- ‘And what COPMICLOOKS