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Show - t v i -- I TIIE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 19, 1920. . ( By Wmo Douglas Newton by The ifcClure Jfcictyaper Syndicate. Coptrtphf, w The Macklin Pearls VI. MCIR opened a letter and He read It and snorted. BOYD acroes the he cried table, "vo'i know ns ware talking aout t.iat plump and unpleasant brute, Luca i CullencWi, I ds-- s ago? The bacon king with a passion for 'V hat prla'i . X3tu. pearls, " said fit alx-u- tj ft?-- ' l - j Bojd. 'Ilf' writ ten to nic? More be fa ordortng me about, lie sends 1 m eorum ms a sort of rojal to go duvfi d to- Ills house nl Hoi Otis 'week-en- d I aru to do inuso there for Ills benefit and that of his guests. I am to pftk out my best bmnl of music, behave n)ylf aa nicely as a little composer' can and the fee la absolutely dazzling. Brother Cullender believes In dazsle. said the calm and dandified Cjprlnn, He Imagines he has only to wave run magic ' check and airmen will run to do his bidding. But what of It? It merelv shows that he recognises that your fame Is spreading, and he wants to be among the ' first to lionise you." It's not that. I mean its an astonishing coincidence. I hadnt heard of this particular pork profiteer a week ago. Then suddenly we began discussing him. "That was because he- bought the Marklln pearls," Cyprians sister, Theda, In. i hinted "Even ordinary persons could not help discussing a man who put '"clow n a thirty-thre- e cool thousand pounds for a rope of pearls. And were not -- ordinary persons; pearls mean plunder for us." "Ah," cried the musician. looking from the delightful brother to he more dewas lightful slater. "I begin to see. going to say that to get this letter from him light after had his name sad discussed him scented an coincidence. Bit perhaps,! after all, there Is more in tt than meet? toe eye. I wonder whal the lad Ik driving at?" asked Cjprtan with che uble Innocence. "Why should there be anything In It?" "Oh' laughed Boyd. "Well, if there Isnt anything in It, thn i'll ref mo this profiteer In meat. I'm not to he dagf hla gled, and I don't like the manne-- s hind. "You be accumulating pi ay veiy turdv sum In your bank, my infant," said Cyprian, grinning, but can you refuse such a fee? , , Particularly aa you look the trouble ofi getting old man Cullender to otfer it, in? jeered Boyd, with a smile. Hes getting clever. Thccla," sof-- l Cvprian In mock despair to hla atsof. Thats what cornea of letting him live with bright people like us. Hes developing - w-- e -- brains" "Did you or did you not put thin man CnlVndef In the way of asking me to his piece?" demanded Boyd. Ukc Oeorge Washington, I rsnnot tell a lie well, not when it doesn't suit me. I confess, Thecla and I did give that hh.on lad the hint, "I didn't know yon knew him. "We didnt until those pearls sort of foiced an Introduction upon us." said Thecla. "Apart from pearls, he's not the sort of person any cheery person would want to know..' e t '"then,"' Boyd inquired, were going to 'get those pearls? My music I only a something to soothe the aevage breast while the pearls are collected. U a an excuse, and an opportunity for getting at those gema?" We dont think the Cullender person-lthe sort to value those pearls at thelf p.oper worth. We know wears the sort who will. Hence It Is only right that t ej should be abstracted, removed or even snatched from the unworthy. Til write and say Im coming thla Vvek-enthen. By the way, youve been Invited, too Both of ua, smiled Cyprian. "Dont be afraid, my child: you wont have to da the burglary alone; Uncle Cyp will be t ier. Aa a matter of fact, hell have to be there. Title Isnt going to be a mm lada gams." "Quite otherwise The Cullender man." elaborated Thecla, "la one of the port, llea of the burglar- d. -- said-Thec- see At Rotherwood nothing seemed to happen on the Saturday Boyd gnve hla ton-ceand won Immense applause for his beautiful composition. The gaV and delightful brother uni nister Xvstus had a Jollv time winning friends all round by trelr graceful and charming manners On Saturday morning all the guests saw the famous Macklin pearls. There was not even a thrill about thla. Neither of the charming burglars suggested that the Jewels should he shown. That yatne d from the fat. ted faced, Cullender himself. Nobody had expressed any wish, but the bacon king was so proud of the famous pearl necklet his excessive profits had enabled him to buy that, he absolutely forced hla guests to troop along to big atudv to see It. Nothing happened In hla study. The pearls, a peerless collection of some twenty perfect gema. were handed around. All examined and admired. Bui there was no untoward Incident, Boyd, who watched the necklet ax as did the eyes ofj (he host, tsawthut neither Thecla nor Cyprian, touched it with their hsndx. There was no attempt to steal or to effect un exchange of any sort. The pearls were put hack Into the safe without having anything happen to them. Boyd had fancied that'thls might be the opportunity for the charming pair of thieves to effect a capture of the thing they bad come down to the country to steal. The attitude of both toward the necklet was extraordinarily casual. Thecla said; . Every one of theae pearls la a beauty beyond price. Im glad they are going to be ours. Cvprian said with equal calmness: "Jolly old pearls, eh? go good for our hanking accounts. And I liked that safe. Its a good safe. In fact. Its so good that Its merits have been widely advertised. That la how I and other burglars know all about it, and how to deal 7 with It." no more. He offered no hint He. said aa lo hla plans for getting the Jewels. He and Thecla continued . to be gay and verv ordlnarv. In fact, so ordinary was everything that Bovd himself sank He just had deep Into the atmosphere. a good time and forgot all about the pearls. It was only on Sunday evening, after dinner, when the house party had settled down to bridge, that he remembered them suddenly and quite disturbingly. He had .been enjoying hl game. lie was, as a matter of fact, winning hand, somely; and Cypdanv who had been writing letter In The big library, when he came Into the room- stood at ms elbow and smiled down on him. making a bantering remark of congratulation. Boyd laughed back; then the cool young dandy walked across to another table and took hla plaoe. Ten minute later, when the whole room was deep In the game, Boyds heart suddenly leaped and raced, lie had heart He had heard, distantly, a something. muffled and sullen explosion an explosion. muffled though It waa. which had a certain note that he. as a burglar, wag sMe to distinguish. His heart beat painfully; he glanced up from hid cards to ' rt -- thick-necke- I,u-ca- H , - ler. ' house-breakin- - 1 But I moan, when, could you have with their sticks ready to strike the male taken them?" ' guexta searched. l They searched the house from top lo rememCyprian wrote some letters. I bottom. They searched eery room, evwho? obviouly,.had la, They adarrhed ber, cranny. ery nook and He waa the ground- - The'? did not leave a stone been In the dark like Boyd. unturned. They found nothing. - - away from the card room foe some lime That was the Back before his shattered safe, the ba- only Joining u 1 , con king was still obstinate, though hie time, eii? old In one, bull was the thing, hit defense of In his system faith 'youve sna ken. Ho persisted In hi idea that the said the young man. even But the explosion! protested Boyd. burglar could not have got away, If he bad got In through his tine ' of "Toud been In the card room ten inln , watcher which he felt waa extremely Utes before they went off. Time fusee, my child, said the other. doubtful "If you are certain of that.! said Cyp- "They proved very useful in war; In their victories. But rian sweetly, and with a touch of haught- peace, loo, they hexworried Id better exIt can only thesn that there Is as youreall.looking iness. it first The point to consider a person In your household who Is a plain is the altuatlon of the quarry, loot or. thief. One or those at present In your plunder; the pearls. Old man Bacon King house must be the miscreant." was probably right, I thought, (rj conThere was a perceptible stiffening all sidering his defense scheme a perfect round at that. Boyd rather admired one. That la, the chances all pointed to Cyprian for making the moat of hla acci- a burglar's being caught when be tried dental Innocence. The bacon king did to get out or in." i not withdraw hla assertion, as he should; "Therefore, It could only Ije done from he maid doggedly; Thecla, the Inside," prompted "I must have the servants searched Quite! But to do It from the inside all their belongings. that suspicion would be fixed on And the guests, said Cyprian coldly. meant Inside- - Even If 1 rot the pearls those think Tin afraid I, for one, could not suapl-cion out quietly, their loss was bound lo come of going away witlj every hint of to light, natural??. If it came to light had been wiped away. i we were there, even If we surThe bacon king very lamely protested while search that was bound to hapthe he had meant no offense, but all the vived wed all come under suspicion, and sided with Cyprian, and tha search pen, guests don't want to attract the attention wae made. It was a drastic one. And we not with our method of it discovered nothing. ' When It wae fin- Of the police our llvhig. j ished. they all stood in the study again: earning If the loss of the pearls came to and lhe profiteer, remembering the social after we had left the house, then position he wanted to, gain, apologized light It would be worse. Suspicion would not r profusely, cling to us. hut we'd have detec"I see I whs wrong," he concluded only calling at end watching the houec. do forgive me. you people. Id tive "Plea said Boyd with a bhnd-de- r. "Damnable! got this bee In my bonnet about myI I eee your plan. then. You wantand of guards being perfect, system to put everybody on to a false scent." couldn't bring mvaelf to acknowledge It ed Yea. and get an alibi.. If I made It failure. I ran see I've made a shocking obvious to all concerned that mistake. It waa Juat the work of a com- absolutely busted by high exmon burglar thoae tool he left behind that aafeat had been the hands of a common or prove It; I see that now. He muat have plosive, burglar, then, having exhausted slipped past my watchers somehow, and garden oilier line of suspicion, old man If he could slip Into tn house he could every have to come tn the conbeen a Baron would hla slip -out of It. x. He must have clusion tpat burglarproof schem had nlpm- fellow." , that he had been burgled In are. drawled Cyprian. failed,ofand "They generally hla Hence there would watchers. "From what I hqpr of tt, burglary must aplte be no dark thoughts about you and Thec'a be a very nlppv trade." the rest of the guest. , "And If he's nlcpy. wexp probably and me and Again, I had no desire that Cullender wsated my fault In Buntor should arrive at the idea that anyone ing mares neats. I'll have the police up common burglar was, after af!.' the and show them the aefe and these tools, the me. uncommon I set a time fuse lo So so tliat they can get busy after the that nitroglycerin, which allowed me to f brute." show myaelf to my host and the public appar-'ertl- v ten before the minutes burglary Next day In, the Kensington house In happened. and which the three lived Boyd could not "And it happened when bow' "When I was supposed to be writing help treating the affair as a huge Joke, letters. from but what I Swift work, a huge, ironic joke. know of them burglars are nippy.-- ' the I saw you all snug"It's sheer comedy," he grinned. young man grinned. upHere were we, three bright people, down ly selted to bridge; then I nipped to the study. I reckon I can deal at Rotherwood for the express purpose stairs with almost any sort of safe; but if you of lifting those pearls: We were reck remember I had already discovered that oning those pearls aa our absolute per- that one was - aT pretty poor specimen of opened the safe by Its that alockstrong-bosonal property ; we were certain quit essllv. I poudhed the pearla, smart, brainy people you remember liow fixed my charges with their time gadsret thats easy lo do If the (safe la on c brainy you thought you were, Cyprian-li- ke opened. Phut the safe. Scattered tools ourselves were bound to store hand so that it looked like that other about e second-ratdown where the old type of Bill Sykes would prove an also ran. And hurslar that's the reason for my secondthat hand set, Boyd. Chucked the bottle winWhile we brainy people were fooling had held the explosive out the open Bltl Sykes, round the old second-ratlocked cam out of the room, the brace, bit. Jimmy and all. walked calmly dow, threw the kev out of the first winIn and acoffed the pool! The sheer Irony door, mv dow Into the I eaw, slipped pearla Don't of the thing you admit hollow Immense, stick, and so to the card room to that, Cxprian?" mvaelf. tt?" show aint Pimple, Cyprian preserved a discreet silence. He went on with the Job he waa doing. -- "But brainy." admitted Boyd. Of course. eald the grace) joung Don't you think so? Here, stop with your stupid stick and give me man. "But then I am bratny. vour candid oninion of, the way we've Next week "When Greek Meets Greek. been done In the eye. Cyprian did not venture an opinion. He went on fiddling with hla stick. He BEST WISHES FOB BROTHER JONES. A celebrated revivalist came to address pressed a spring In the top of the stick; the xoniirmin al'ver knob fell hack, re- his flock, and before he began to aneak matches, a tha pastor said: "Brother Jones, before vealing a little box of w dcntrlvance that dandles like' Cyprian you begins thla discourse, there are some 'iked to sport. But he did not stop there. powerful bad negroes In this here conHe wrenched at the allver side of this gregation, and I want to pray for you," box. He pulled It out. He tipped the which he did tn thla fashion: ' stick up. "O Lord, give Brother Jones the eye of A living flash of pink and wonderful eagle, that he may aee ain from afar loveliness a snaky roil of peerless and the Glue hie ear to the gospel telephone, and priceless gems. feU out of the stick Into connect him with the central skies. IlCvprian's hand. Bovd gaped at the sight. luminate hla brow with a brightness that He gasped; he almost shouted. make the fires of hell look like a Cullenders will My Lord' The pearl: tallow candle, Nall hla hands to the pearls the Macklin pearls! plow, and bow his head In some Not so much of your done In the gospel much valley where prayer said the cool young lonesome eve. mv Infant. wanted to be said, and anoint him all , m' with bw calm. ll keroaene-osalvaof with the thy Bovd could scarcely , believe his fyea. over tion and act him afire. Congressional He waa astounded. Record. "The pearla! Then then there wasnt It waa jmu?" a INDIRECT SUCCESS. "Im pearly certain It waa me." said the nrhehed young man. "And as for ' "Was your garden a success tnl I like that! You saw year?' thn he safe yourself, and It waa aa nasty a "Verv much so! My neighbor's chickbreak as any safe could endure. en took flrat prim at the poultry show. Tee. vee! But my dear lunatic, you Tha Passing Show (London). were with n In the card room when Yon didnt go he explosion occurred. WHY WA8NT HE? near the anfe. You couldnt have tnken eee pearls after ths safe waa broken When Eve upon tbe first of men Tb apple pressed, with specious cant. In". Oh. I didnt say the pearls were In the Oh, what a thousand pities then safe when It was blown open. As a That Adam waa not adamant! The Gateway (Detroit). natter of fact. fhv werent. defying breed; ha, means to keep all the cash his profiteering ha brought him in. lie has any amount Of And tne moat is that his grounds at Rotherwood thing swarm with watchmen.. "Yes," said I'yprtan. "He boasted to me that he knew the beat method of dealing wltfr"bnrg!ars; It Is to prevent their getting Into the house at all. He has men posted In the grounds all round the house to prevent that. The man that tried to break In would be nabbed at once. Oh, he is sure of himself. "Therefore, well have to act from the Inside ?" said Boyd. "Yea, but with cleverness," said Cyprian. te an affair of sheer itYoumut brain. see. he really hits drawn such a strong cordon round his house that, unless he osn be convinced that It has failed him, he 11 be. positive that the thief f should thosy pearls be stolen! must be in the house. And he will take steps to find him out in the house He a a profiteer, and he's unpleasant, but hes Infernally a.irewd. We can t possibly We've give him a chance against us got to be arhaslngly smart all the time "Fortunately, we can he amazingly smart," said Bovd. Anyhow, I can he." grinned Cyprian. "You leave It to ine, mv Infant. Brains I have 'em. whl win In thla affair, Finesse Is my strong point." But all the same, Bpyd found Cvprian g packing a set of commonplace tool when thsv were preparing to go to Rotherwood, And housebreaking tools did not look like brains. "Jimmies, a bit and bran. a vial 'of nltroalvcerlhe, skeleton keys!" eald Boyd, looking down at the nefarious collection. 1 say. Cyprian, ts thla your fine-li- e ?" to be armed for al con"It Is well tingencies ' said Cvprian solemnlv. He stood up from his packing and winked. And Bovd. though he could not understand guessed that there was something deep behind this choice of thoroughly second-rate tools. In time, no doubt, he would see that the'- - represented finesse. ward the tables where Cjprian and Thecla sat. They were there. Of course, they were there: he knew thev would be. They wouldnt do anything without him. Bui If there was that explosion, and they were not connected with It, what what the deuce could it mean? And they did not notice It They were both amiling, taking their careless, charming part in the brlxhl life about them. There was a neioud explosion, muffled and dull, yet veiv much more distinct. Many of the beaus In the room lifted, looked toward the host with an air of question. Cyprian and Thecla both .sent that vague. Interrogatory look. "Someone blowing un the house, or Is It a motor asked a cheerful Idiot. They waited; noising more and with 'whruga they went Happened, back to cards. But the games were never finished. A butler, rather white about the gills, came Into tne room. He meant to speak to his master in a tactful whisper. But hla nerves got the better of him. He conveyed the news In something like a flustered shout, "Explosions In your study. Mr. Cullender. sirs Bounded like at the safe, air. An the doors locked. Weve tried "to get In bv the door, an' It's locked. We think well. It burglars, air." "Burglars !" veiled Lu Cullender, who had no use for tact "Burglars! The' Macklin By gad, those pearls! pearls!" Everyone was up and crowding rotwd the bacon king, thoroughly thrilled. Everybody said something rapidly and excitedly. Mr. Cullender seemed to bo able to do nothing but shout; In my house Burglars here Burglar after my pearls. I tell you, burglars are here!" Bovd. who had at once moved In the direction of the Xyetus pair, noted the curloua, surprised look on Thecla'a face, and Cvprtan'a words seemed to confirm that astonished look. "My hat! Burglars after those pearls! Well, I'm Jiggered Rurrlars after the erv pearls he had come to steal: No wonder Cyprian waa llgeered. What ironic and dismaying luck! Then somebody thought of action and hack-flrlng- - yelled out: - - w oughtnt lo he standing about. We should do something." There was a general movement on the part of the men to do something, a dash of the more hefty and snorting toward the door. T.uras Cullender, though he wasn't sporting, led the dash. At the door, however, he halted, held up hla hand, rlls wits had come back to him. "One moment! he yelled. "Weve got to get the hang of this. Them burglars oughtn't to have been able to get In If they did get In .He turned on the butler. "What about the men In the emunda, hey? What do they say bout "Nothing, sir." said the butler. "That's -- Lie queerVaVf. Weve heard nothing from The butler, stepped forward them But I've sent out a footman, or his hand went inside- - the door plocklly, to the two elfctrlc light switch. There was a click; the big room vise flooded with Itgnt and It waa starkly empty. But as they The first of the footmen came runInside ning back. In the part of the grounds pressed My God. the safe: gasped Lucas he 'had been to the watchmen were It's burst. They've got my In their places. They had heard the ex, pearls!' There whs no mistnkfrg the door of plosions faintly, but had seen nothing The second and third footmen brought the safe. It was unseemly. It had been rent and torn tike a tta.ng of tin under the same story. The grounds were full the terrible of exploslvee such of watchers; nobody could have slipped as safebreakerschargee use. Through the great In the rent Iron doon the thief undoubtedby them, jet they had seen nothing ! ly had plenty of space to put hla hand. annas. The contents would be at hie naerev. "He or they the burglars couldn't have They stood and stared. got through and awav from the house," 'My hat, said a voiu In Boyd's ear. seems to be a burglary,. after all "It aald Lucas Cullender triumphantly. . Those pearls: "Therefore, they are tn It, or near it." Bovd turned an exchanged a silent "Your line doesn't seem to have stopped significant glahce with Cyprian Xystua em coming In, said a voice. ettll maintaining- - his gay and careless Berhaps It Isn't a burglary, after all; manner Ip spite of this ahock. Then why should hurglara make loud notaes? Boyd turned away; he felt sick and disI think It was a gas explosion," eald appointed, and he felt that If he stayed another. with Cyprian both he and There wes n general laugh, and an man would be hound to betray that young something easier feeling, and then another voice of their chagrin. , said: And then events demanded attention. was the door locked, then? "Vhy The king, who had gone in aone, The crowd swayed again, and Lucas bad bacon no sooner walled aloud that hla .Cullender clinched the matter by crying: beautiful and priceless scions, pi Well, the best way to settle the matbeen stolen when a man pointedpearls out: ter Is by finding out stl about It Come Lad "The brutes left in a hurry.' anyhow." along, you men, we'U see If its burglars And sure'y enough, following his pointed ' or gas.'' saw Ivlng on the floor near ' The men went out Into the hall In a finger, they a brace and bit, and then away rush. Thev were all for charging up the safe pear the window a Jimmv. The window to the etudv then and there. the means of exit and alone showed them wladom; heCyprian went explained It waa open. stick-stand nimbly to the and caught up left that open." exnla'gbd the bacon "t his walking-stic, "Why shouldnt 1? The room must I feel much more confident when king. he and there are all those men aired, d meeting a, large-slxeburglar If I have in the grounds to look after It this in my fist. he said, brandishing outside He went to the window. He called out thla" a very finely polished thick and to on of the In the ground. heavy hardwood cane, with a massive "Come here canwatchers eee anv sign? No silver knob. The others saw the excel- there wouldn't be;you untie-neatit's gravel lence of the Idee; all chose aticka; all and then fifteen-foo- t And fi grass plot. marched resolutely to the etudy door dron. sav to anvhow. nothing of mv IF locked. said Cullender. "1 didn't men. He couldn't have out got that lock It. Nobody knows who did; so It cant be accidental People who are way. The watcher under the window called watching the windows from the ground outside say that the room Is dark. There out that he had found sometntng. and I the profiteer demanded to know what- It no other door leading In. movement?" was. Anybodv inside. "The time lnwiilch he kept hla " asked somebody, said the man. "fie must have "Not a sound Robert, got that chisel come this way (Jo carefully there, dont smash more "Well, you down there, hunt, hunt like than vou can help. Thats a good door, You' job depends on It." said and things sre expensive nowadays. . . . Max -- aThen be turned lo those .In Thats It! You're getting It. . . , Just Cullertder. the room: "But Its absurd. He couldnt Ah!" , another heave. awav that way not through There was a great Cracking; the Mg have got door shivered, then swung open. The that line of men. butler stepped hack defensively and all he "Well, got In," said one of the gaged Into a dark and allent room. Noth- guexta, "If he got In. he could get out. In The bacon kin tried to acorn the sugthe ing happened; nothing stirred room. It was silent, apparently empty; gestion. He cou'dnt have ot In. and he a faint acrid smell came from it. couldn't have got out. That made tt "Thats not gaa." said a vouth who eem that the burglar must have been I know that In the house all the time, and must be had fought In France. smell high explosive ' . In It at!!'. That meant a search. And - time-thro- er 11 x. er 1 fid-d.t- e. k. h! ,ny ugh 1 exp'o-alve.- g. ... eafe-breakt- pc A PROCRASTINATED CHRISTMAS (Continued tha from preceding page. talnfflg tea ISO bill. Vaguely Ben felt he oug'-- t to bavo soma paper and a ribbon tan wrap tho money up In. He eould gst tbe paper all rlbt, but where waa tbare a rib- Merry Christmas from Uncle Bon," and took hla two parcels down. Both hi sock and Abel's war already bulging, and h fait of the bulges cautiously, Uka a boy. Then he stuffed hts tire packages In their proper placea and stole upstair to bon, except ia feuelea rooi..? Ben, however, was nothing tf not tnvontlva Ro took from hla bureau drawer a necktie not an old ono. but hla second heat, no I! stretched it on tho floor, and with hla knlf carefully lit out a atrip of ollk half an Inch wtd.-Tbeho alerted downstair for paper. But exsn aa b opened hi doer he heard a whlatl outside, and tha , sound ef Susla's steps below. Tiptoeing to tho head of tho stairs, b fait a breath ef cold air from tho rpsn door, and hoard whlspar. The door waa closed, hut the whisper continued In- night. Ban took hla lamp and atol down to And a place .of paper. Returning with it, he wrapped the blUa and tiad tham - with tha J plac of silk. At least, tb bundl waa gay! Than h wrota with a pencil, "Far Busts. n side. bed. Bon waa th flrat awak. H wand down and started up thf Are In the range and In the sitting room stove. Outside tho blown anew waa banked against the window, and tha rooms, without the morning sun yat risen? war flUad with a carious white dimness. Ben threw In wood prodigally, and tha dtova war roaring when Buala appeared. "Merry Christmas!" b shouted. "I said tt flrat!" Thaa h gestured toward tha stuffed stock luge. " Bant) aoreogad through all right." , -- "O. Danl you froze ? " Not now!" Tou are all ever anew i "But you mustnt stay Nos-- no "Just Ain't please? eno I get to. Rue. uneiao are abed. It's Christmas v. ' and then a whispered goed nlght. tha gust of air sne more, tad tha sound f tha bolt aheL Ben tiptoed back lata hla room, and waited. He heard Susie come upstairs Immediately, and then go down again At Isagth she earn up and shut bar deer fe Btlsnca, f said. Bo ha did.'" laughed the girl. Boons Uncle Abel comoo well see what b brought! Tho baeen wao ertsptng. and there waa tha small ef coffee before Abel appeared. Now e can see what Bantlaa brought t.a." cried Ben. " Merry Christmas, Abel." Abel grunted. He knew too wall what Benia had brought. Ain't at need till wavo had iosii feed," h said. ' O, no. eu ieek right off. flrat thing. said h Etn. " Thats al'ay tha way." Buala, however, turned to tho stove to hido her disappointment." - Nk let' have our breakfast flrat," ah said. "O, all right Mayb Abel will feel more chipper then." They aat down and at !n a constrained silence, each busy with private thoughts, and tha fac of Abel glum and brooding., Susie, with a sudden stubbornness of bar own, now insisted on doing tho dishes befor tha a locking war taken down, Tha'aun waa up, and tha anew beginning to drop away from tn window pan, lotting' in tho warm golden light before she and Ben went to th mantel and took th stockings Sown. Each retired 'to a corner, and drew out th contents. "Ho'lo!" cried Ren, holding up a warm knit waistcoat "Guaaa Banttas brought w aomethmg pretty nice!" Abel waa looking at hla carefully kr.lt thick x i.olen socks and at th nocktl from Poor Ben waa so cloa to tear himself at the eight of tho radiance of her smtle that ' h could only nod hla head. Th girl sank her head against hla shoulder' , again. aB I'm so ashamed," ah said, "that you had to And tt out without m tailing you. I ought to have told you. But I " Tou didnt want to make no fuse till you waa auro I know," Ban nodded sagely, m I didnt want you Sort of." ahe said, h((vd any of my troubles on- -you both-r- lo your mind. And now you found out! Row did you And out? I" Util . Ban. Humph!" b aald. "Think you'r go.t' to make a dud of mo, ah? " And then both man wars aware of th sob from th cornor where Bust sat and turned toward har. Thor was no uao eh couldnt choke bat k the tears, Ban began, but befor "Now Buala waa beat da him. ab h could aay mor on hla breast burled fae har him, against and hla arms about her. Abal otood looking on. dumb, shuffling hla foot a little. Neither did Ben say anything, but only pat tod her shoulder clumsily HD ah raised her tear stained fac. on which a amll was breaking, and half whispered, "Did' yon know , bird," eald Bon. "No? How?" Still in hla arm, ah waa pulling Ilk a pfttad child at a button on hi coat, her fae upturned. "Remember on Sunday you came Int th barn?" Bust straightened up. " Tou heard? Me and Dan that day? Tou know everything about th mortgage, and all?" ah cried. Bon nodded. " And you'r just as good aa giving this to Dan, aos w can gat married? " "I'm giving ll to you, tf that's th asm , - . . , thing." "O. you dear, darling old Santa Claua!" aha cried, throwing her arms around hla nock and kissing him. Thaa suddenly ah remembered Abel. " O. dear Cnole Abel! " ah exclaimed penb tontly, "bar Dm fuel thanking Unci Ben. 'cause his name erne on tb package, and lto your proeont, too, cauae th money, 1 knew, belonged to both at you." Move olawty oh moved toward Abel, as If to Irlaa hQn . , ' Ho stood rrgld and motlonod her away. " No, it aint. It'a Ben's money," he said, I aint claimin' no thanks 1 vary slowly. dont deserve, TV divided up last week. I I'm much obliged for them nice socks" Then ho eat down heavily In a chair. Sual stood between the two men. In wonder and perplexity. " I 1 dont understand" ahe began, when the door suddenly shook with a blow, and then burst open. letting In a rush ef anew, and Dan. "Merry Christmas?" ho shouted,' stamping hi foot. " Geo, Buo, thats a swell sweater. And her. Bants Claua has aant some stuff H handed each of them a pack by mo. e eg tobacco for tho men, a cheap fur for Bualo, who opened It with trom-bJnflngsie and hold It up with a lltti cry of pleasure, and then put U aa a frame b low her happy fac. wlikh. Bon saw, had oover looked to protty befor. " Thank you. Dan," oh aald, oemlng clee to him. , "Abel," aald Ban, "Ita tlm you me and th paths show got thorn oowa Buala uttered a smothered cry. Dan w stunned to sl.'enc. Beu oat down so ab ruptly on th sofa that a tack flaw out of th wabblng under th springs Wall, Im darned!" he said. The girl waa th flrat to recover, and rushed to her ancle, to kiss him. Then Dan grasped him by the band. Ha put aa arm clumsily around Bualo, and mumbled, "Thar, thara, that all right." And than, h wheeled on Ben. with a "Well, how about them cows?" W two men went from th room, aa Da and Bust, their eyes full of Joy and wonder, , - nock-piec- g ml'-ka- alad." Abal rose slowly from hla chair. Ha apok with obvious effort, almoot at If tha word " were wrenched from him. Jest a minute," ha aald. " Strike me I aint givln nothing. I kinder put off antin' I I anybody present. too long. to Dan." I to want a got present gto There was a pause, and everybody regarded him with astonishment la the silence. I aint got It handy, by e." b went "But I guoao my an, oven mor slowly, d word good. I wonter giro Dan die hoe-dra- dollar" , I . slipped Into each others arena. In alienee tho two figure bent to th drift, arid cleared a way to th bora. One Inside, Ben shook down th food for th cattle and ths horse, and cam over where Abal waa already seated, milking Jersey Bess, , " Do yea mind tollin' m what mads you act ilk a dam fool, too? ha demanded. The ring ef th milk tn the pall ceased. "I seen her klesin you," Abel answered slowly, thoughtfully. "To, that ants U I ooon Jmc klaain' you." Well, eh- - kissed you now. loo. I tap-posome day w can go over to Lawyer Evno and have thorn aecounta merged again. I dont feel cult easy with so much all my own. I might get reckless." , o , "No harry," said Abel W got to get them three ehalro mended for old Mra ' ghoek." right," eald- Ben, as th alternatt stream betas te atng on hi pall bottom, e loo. Well, seme gay wH fix it IroprHsMi tree i Be Wmltss rrlrbarg , |
