[00:00.41]Lesson 19
[00:02.40]A very dear cat
[00:10.23]Why was Rastus 'very dear' in more ways than one?
[00:16.41]Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals,
[00:19.87] but they recently took considerable interest in Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay's cat.
[00:26.35]Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady,
[00:29.99] has shared a flat with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years.
[00:36.32]Rastus leads an orderly life.
[00:38.81]He usually takes a short walk in the evenings and is always home by seven o'clock.
[00:45.56]One evening, however he failed to arrive.
[00:49.77]Mrs. Ramsay got very worried.
[00:52.44]She looked everywhere for him but could not find him.
[00:56.73]Three days after Rastus' disappearance, 
[01:00.40]Mrs. Ramsay received an anonymous letter.
[01:04.32]The writer stated that Rastus was in safe hands and would be returned immediately if Mrs. Ramsay paid a ransom of $1,000.
[01:15.74]Mrs.Ramsay was instructed to place the money in a cardboard box and to leave it outside her door.
[01:22.58]At first, she decided to go to the police,
[01:26.69]but fearing that she would never see Rastus again--the letter had made that quite clear--she changed her mind.
[01:35.86]She withdrew $1000 from her bank and followed the kidnapper's instructions.
[01:42.00]The next morning, the box had disappeared but Mrs.Ramsay was sure that the kidnapper would keep his word.
[01:50.30]Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually at seven o'clock that evening.
[01:56.59]He looked very well, though he was rather thirsty, 
[02:00.81]for he drank half a bottle of milk.
[02:04.01]The police were astounded when Mrs. Ramsay told them what she had done.
[02:09.65]She explained that Rastus was very dear to her.
[02:13.35]Considering the amount she paid,
[02:15.59] he was dear in more ways than one!