Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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20 THE SENIOR MAGNET James Blair—Detective Pkarle Forster Jeanne was looking for the office door marked “Mr. James Blair— Private.” She had been running through all the corridors of the funny old building and found so many doors that were not Jim’s. Jeanne had married James Blair exactly four months ago, and had been in Peking ever since. Jim had his government work to do, and so they decided to spend their honeymoon there, she grew to be delighted at its funny little crooked streets and its quaint open shops on the sidewalks. Finally, down the long dim corri dor she heard voices and one she knew very well. Running down the hall, she opened the door softly and walked in, just as Jim said, “Well, if I may, I’ll use two or three of your men tomorrow night.” The man, chief of Peking’s police, went out and Jeanne demanded the cause of his presence. “It’s just a little matter which I think may be opium smuggling,” answered Jim. As the two were walking home, suddenly Jim stopped and pointed across the street. Jeanne looked, but saw nothing but an old, very withered Chinaman leading a cat. But such a cat. It was a beautiful black cat with an unusual black coat. It had two balls of fire for eyes, and around its neck was a red ribbon. Jim said nothing till they reached home, then he told of his suspicions. “For two weeks now, every day 1 have seen that old man leading the cat. He was very careful of it, allowing no one to touch it, and seemed to be always looking for somebody to grab the cat. Then after much looking around, he goes into that little old cellar across from the office. I asked some friends about it and was told that Wo Chong’5 cat was the pride of Peking. It was the same breed as the ancient Em-porer’s cat, and was the only one in China. Then one day shortly after this I heard Wo Chong say to .1 friend, “Wednesday night at 10:30 here.” That is the reason I asked for some men tomorrow.” “But Jim, will there be any danger of shooting?” asked Jeanne. Jim answered with an air of bravado, “You can never tell in something like this what may happen, hut don’t worry about me.” Jeanne did not see much to he suspicious about an old man showing off a cat with a pedigree like that, but said nothing, and set about preparing dinner. It was Wednesday night, 10:30. The drizzling rain did not appeal much to Jeanne who, wrapped in Jim’s old overcoat, was going to follow the three men. After a very long wait, Jeanne heard Jim exclaim in the next doorway. “There goes Wo Chong and the cat now.” Jeanne looked across the street and sure enough there were the cat’s eyes staring at her. Just then Ching Lee, the tea merchant, came up and the two went into the cellar. It was rather spooky, Jeanne admitted to herself. Jim and the two men crept across the street and down into the cellar, Jeanne following as soon as the door was shut. Inside everything was dark and there was a musty odor about the place. A long hall lighted by a solitary candle, went winding

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THE SENIOR MAGNET 19 it, he found the diamond was still there. “I wonder where Slim was that morning that he didn’t want to tell,” said Peg. ‘‘I don’t know,” answered her uncle, but I know one thing, and that is this. I’m going to advertise for Slim and get him back here as soon as I can. I’m too old to be riding all over the ranch.” The next day signs were posted at Caroltown; the village near the ranch. They offered a reward to anyone who could tell the whereabouts of Slim Walton. It stated that he was innocent and that Kingsley was willing to take him back as his foreman again. But no one knew where he was. Then one day a letter, postmarked Caroltown, came for Kingsley. It was very brief. It read:—“Mr. Kingsley. You will find that the person who thinks before he acts generally does the right thing when ht- does a« t.” It was signed Slim. Something told him that he was to see Slim before long, and he was right. The next day, riding on the northern end of the ranch, a part seldom used, he was hailed from behind by a very familiar voice. Turning around he beheld Slim. Kingsley was a. man of few words, but the hearty handshake was enough to assure Slim that he was welcome. “Let’s go down to the house and see Peg,” said “Dad.” They did, and while Kingsley went into his office, Slim hurried out to the kitchen to find her. “Slim Walton, of all things! Where did you come from?” “Oh, I’ve been hanging around the ranch for a long time,” he said. As they talked he told her how he had hidden in an abandoned cabin on the northern end of the ranch ever since he had left. He had seen the sign in Caroltown and had mailed the letter as a joke. “But why didn’t you want to tell ‘Dad’ where you had been that day?” asked Peg. Slim blushed, but began manfully. “Well, you see, I went to town and bought a ring, which I intended to give you soon. I didn’t like to say anything in front of you about it.” It was riwvv her turn to blush, and she did, charmingly. After a moment’s hesitation, Slim went on. “Seeing as how I didn’t get time to give it to you that day, I guess I’d better do ir now.” Just then Kingsley came in with a paper in his hand. “Now see here, Slim, I know I did wrong when I accused you; but I’m willing to start over again. Here’s a contract I’ve drawn up, making you foreman for five years. Will you sign ?” He did. And the next day he signed another contract for life. It was in the shape of a marriage license. And the principals were none other than “Peg” Mansfield and “Slim” Walton.

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THE SEXIOR MAGNET 21 into darkness, and a rat ran across to the door. Taking her courage in one hand, and the candle in the other, Jeanne started to follow the thiee men who could no longer be seen. She went in one door and out the other for what seemed hours and still did not find Jim. Seeing a door with light coming from the key-hole, her first thought was that it was Jim in there, so she opened the door and went in. No one was in the room, but she heard voices in the adjoining room. “You ask too much,” one man said, but the answer was a mumble. Jeanne went over to the curtains separating the rooms and peeking in, she saw Wo Chong and Ching Lee and the cat. Wo Chong had a basket on the table, and was saying—“If you don’t want these (pointing to the basket), “I’ll sell them to Hong Wing.” Ching Lee looked rather frightened, then said. “Don’t talk so loud. I’ll take them.” “You’ll never regret it. You will be the most honored man in China at the Empress Ball to-morrow,” and Wo Chong handed him the basket. Jeanne was standing on her tip-toes, waiting for the basket to be opened. Maybe Jim was right after all. Wo Chong undid the strings, lifted the lid. put in his hand, and pulled out —a kitten, “They have been a great secret, and will be the talk of China for years to come.” Not knowing how she found her way out, Jeanne at last got home and had just fixed her hair and picked up a book, when Jim came in, looking rather sheepish. In reality he was expecting an “I-told-you-so,” but his wife only smiled and said. “Did you like the kittens?” That was all the satisfaction he ever got of her knowledge of them from her, but when he went into his room, he found his old overcoat very wet and Jeannes shoes, also wet.