Show BUTTONS by MARION E LEIGHTON by y mcclure newspaper 0 o paper syndicate nose on extended paws buttons watched with devoted but troubled eyes tile the shoulders ot of Ms ills pretty young mistress nil us as they heaved convulsively with each hoan broken sob tho the previously undisturbed calm ot of buttons domestic happiness had been rudely shattered during the last week by frequent quarrels between the two beings ho he loved most on earth lils ills master and mistress one short year af pf of perfect home loving bliss and then this I 1 buttons had grown up with his pretty young mistress and loved her with tile the devotion she deserved ills master had been a later acquisition and was accepted by him at first because ills his mistress seemed to desire it and later because buttons learned that lie ho was a nian to trust now something a foolish thing buttons thought had bad pricked this rose colored bubble of doklestic doni don estic lestic joy and it had burst with a bang As he watched ills his mistress out of soft brown adoring doring fi eyes it gradually davood in buttons alert mind that it was up to him to patch that bubble up or go drown himself as a no account quadruped that it was mistress nans erring brother that had been the cause of all the trouble buttons know knew brother jack was old enough to know right r laj it from wrong and young enough to regard family interference in ills his off affairs aars as nothing short of impertinent presumption master harry had protested c coaxed 0 a x d threatened and finally warned him to conduct himself with greater discretion or seek another home gambling drinking and several escapades in which lie he was requested to tell it to the judge had been overlooked but this last incident had been too much buttons want satisfied tiny any more than mistress nan that brother jack was guilty ot of stealing even if circumstances and master blaster harry did convict him jack was wild yet but buttons thought he could spot a criminal when he saw one and he had never regarded jack as anything worse than a little too good fellow ire he be and here again he agreed with Alls mistress tres nan that jack had taken that roll of bills from harrys bureau sorrowfully buttons rehearsed the quarrel between harry and nan harry liari hari I 1 had finally told her that she must choose between jack and as he refused to remain in the same house with ft a thief nan had loyally defended her brother and buttons nut tons remembering mem bering loved her the more for it jack had been left alone in the house the provi previous afternoon and the money had been on the bureau then nan N L an knew that too and though elle account for its disappearance she believe that jack had taken it jack returned that night and was wall still absent which looked bad suttons admitted this to himself ile he wished he allowed ills his canine nature to lead him on that chase after the bakers yellow tomcat find and tm him at the foot of the big maple chef tom had taken refuge tor for nearly an bloir he 1 might have kept an eye on jack pr r the fhe canev or both oil oh civell wt ll digs will ta be lots lets see how ca tha q money aney have gotten out of ills lil bedroom the window had been open epcy the curtains were rustling in tile the spring breeze master blaster harrys solita A lj rt was thrown over a chair a pair of af tappers a wilted collar and it pair ot of acte the noor floor buttons rc ecea ff alf y had taken master blaster harrys fidei paper up tip to jilin him just after lunch ig alaj trick nan had taught him along with abbat pipe lsen oil yes res a pair of old shoes that bat iad heard his anster say could be agy that was it I 1 that pair jot 01 why t ali mhd 6 clr wind mow 1 low thili that money ot off the bureau and ana buttons jumped up and disappeared I yf lych the open do doorway arway that was te the soft spring sunshine A er munif hii ity ofa as and sniff ings and pawing pacing altol rl tol pl e ln in the back yard he hes ic tito Q JW N y of triumph and care can jl eted an shoo shoe in his mouth with 1 ij 1144 mal ng gang joyfully lie took it inside annu alai af posited it in mistress nans lop lap she wiped her tear stained and regarded it with will surprise buttons I 1 pushed his damp nose I 1 into n to her soft palm pa im and gazed up tip nt at lier her with pleading eyes how he hoped shed under stand I 1 nan looked at the shoe wonderingly and something green inside caught her eye with a little g gasp asp of surprise she thrust her hand into tile the shoe and drew out the missing roll of bills that evening buttons lay with nose on extended paws and with supreme content gazed at a happy little family group of three dont worry about me any more folks jack jacic was saying ive landed that job willi wheeler brothers and yours truly will have to toe the mark from now on wheeler brothers oil buckl wb why J 1 with 11 rith a sigh of satisfaction buttons curled up and went to seep sleep |