Show A C s a copyright HE red faim farmhouse house was set in the midst ot of a ate expanse of snow the drooping elms I 1 protected the root with widespread arms cloth 4 ed in ermine and where the crisi wind had blown away the covering the limbs were darkly sketched against tl e bricht bl e sky A thin spiral ot of smoke drifted up from the big chim ney and aind shimmered bhim away into noth inan ss loring tramped wearily up the path and turned the corner by the clump of box bool where a little side porch jutted out to the south there was a window he e filled with red geraniums and the brilliant color keeled to lin part warmth to I 1 is benumbed body the tle steps had b en on swept clear pt of snow and he was n as careful to scrape his boots before he knocked at the door the wl ri n ng ot of a sewing machine stopped suddenly denly and burck steps came across the floor the door flew open and revealed leve aled two faces that of 0 miss aliss anne tim adly expectant and the fair face of the young girl hopeful and eager oh they cried in i nison and their voices betrayed bitter disappointment we thought it might be the express man added anne in explanation I 1 in sorry to disappoint you said loring courteau courteously ly as he bared his head As a matter of fact I 1 came to beg a night s lodging I 1 have rather a bad knee and its it s gone back on me in the midst of a long tramp I 1 won der come in interrupted anne hoa hos pitiably I 1 it t 9 bitter cold out today to day and the drifts are awful we haven t as in min re as we us used ed to keep but boure oure welcome to sit and get thawed out robert loring entered the low ce ad sitting room where a small cyl inder stove gave forth welcome heat in the center of the room the cor ners seemed chill and dusky but in tl the tle e circle of warmth from the stove it was very comfortable A sewing ma chine was drawn within the magic circle and there was a low rocking chair chat and beside it a huge work basi bast et t overflowing with bright bits of silk anne pushed a big chair close to the stove and motioned lor ing into it sit close to the fire and get thawed out grace will fetch you a glass of currant wine or maybe you d rather have a cup of coffeen she beamed hospitably at urn lim over L ste steel bowed elbowed spectacles that were the color ot of her silvery hair I 1 would say coffee it if it N were ere not eo so much trouble hesitated loring it does seem an imposition tor for ire to drop in on aou ou in this manner but as I 1 m was as explaining it will be no trouble at all grace will be glad to make you a cup of cot fee 1 the fair haired hatred girl castene I 1 to a tiny cupboard and brought out a small canister and a coffee pot miss anne excusing herself for a a moment roe and left the room loring watching the young girls girl s graceful movements was suddenly impressed by a painful fact his hostesses were un ably poor the girl had en the last grains ot of coffee into the pot and filling it with cold water p aced it on the top of the cylinder stove tien tl en she stepped to and fro from cupboard to table laying a meal on a snowy cloth there were fresh bread and butter baked apples and some slices of cold ham when she had invited him to sit down loring arose with many apolo gies upon his lips just then the door opened to admit miss anne muffled in shawl and hood and trembling with agitation she seemed to forget lor ings presence and her words were ad dressed to her niece grace what do ou think has happened 9 that that he a gone I 1 her thin hands flento her face and ti U e tears trickled between her fingers oh aunt anne the girl threw her arm around the older woman s shoulder are yo i sure why he was there not a half hour ego ago beca se so 1 I 1001 ed at him how do you suppose he got a away akay kay 1 I guess somebody ome body has taken hin he was aas so fat too grace miss kenle sank down in a chair and slowly re beloved her wraps oh dear I 1 in afraid your coffee will get cold sit down and eat your supper sir air thank you said loring as ho he obeyed I 1 hope you are not in trouble miss adnel Is there anything i that I 1 can do to make things right miss anne sur surveyed veed him with ap proving eyes all at once her eyes wrinkled pleasantly and she began to laugh do you think bod can dis icoler cover who stole the white rooter we were going to have for our chris ads dinner I 1 had him penned up safely and I 1 j went out now to have a look at him and he is gone the hen he hoise ise ls is tat T at is too bad can t I 1 catch an 4 other one tor for you or ab the white rooster especially fattened for the oc casion caslon asked loring miss anne hesitated and looked at her niece but the girl busied busted with her bright silks did not lift her eyes a faint color glowed in her cheeks there isn t another chicken about the place said miss anne bluntly I 1 may as well say sir air that it was as the lat of my flock that a why it Is a dis appointment to me I 1 oring arose fi fiodi om his chair and leached for his eveir at then its my place to scour the country side for one to take its he said firmly please don t tell me not to its it s christmas eve you know and there isn t a soul that expects me to 4 do anything and I 1 d like to feel I 1 was of some use at such a time I 1 wont won t return without a bird of some sort if I 1 have to rob a roost myself without waiting to hear their pro tests loring let himself out into the starlit night and plunged into the crisp snow two to hours afterward after warl when hen he re turned heavily laden the windows of the farmhouse glowed pleasantly and seemed to offer a welcome As he stamped the snow from his feet at the side door he I 1 eard miss anne a voice balse halset r in warm m arm approval well now grace I 1 believe the poor fellow will be tickled to death to get that pin book he said the didn dian t have any folks he seems honest enough loring stumbled into the warm room and let his packages down on to the round table he ile held his cold fin fill gers to the heat I 1 t find the white rooster but I 1 did corral the plumpest little white goose you ever saw raw it s such a long time since I 1 ve prepared for christmas that once star started ted I 1 couldn coulden t stop so I 1 went on through the village and bought all the rest of the fixings I 1 hope you wont object oh well miss anne I 1 shall just take my packages and have christmas by myself in the woods miss alias anne a sensitive pride had prompted her to wave aside the proffered edibles but as loring re placed the packages h ao 10 the basket she watched N him all unconscious of the tact fact that her eyes were wistful first went the plump goose and following it were turnips and potatoes crabber ries and onions and celery a bag of white graphs another of nuta nuts and a large and tempting box of candy with his basket on his arm loring turned to the doar I 1 must thank you tor for your kindness he said gravely ar 04 r ja 4 4 there isn t another chicken about the place you have taken me in and permitted me to rest when I 1 was cold and tired and you have offered me the sweetest hospitality I 1 wish you and miss grace the most joyful christmas yo yoi i have ever known knon his ills hand was on the knob when miss aliss anne stopped topped him I 1 dont don t like to hai hae e you go like that sir air you are welcome to remain until you can re sume your journey and to our fare plain as it Is the leightonn leightons Leigh tons have al was prided themselves on their hos vitality pita lity but of late years I 1 eighton elgh ton interrupted I 1 oring placing his basket on the floor and opening his overcoat are you miss anne leighton miss anne s lound eyes opened wide yes why do you ask I 1 oring loring took a letter case from an inner pocket and searched carefully in its depths you are a cousin to mr air joseqh leighton of boston yes very well my search Is ended then I 1 am mr air I 1 eighton a private secretary robert loring and he sent me to seek yo i out and present this letter I 1 believe it contains a christmas gift as well as an offer to make your future home with i jtb him by jove but its the merest chance that led me here I 1 reached the station all right and hired a man to drive me to dour our place he ile lost his way and we e traveled d half a dav then he managed to upset me into a snow bank and he made 0 off leaving me to find my way back to civilization as best I 1 could you see fate led me here he was as looking at graces downcast face rather than at miss aliss anne a excitedly bobbing figure grace leighton here we ae were watching tor for the pressman ei thinking co aln josiah was going to send his usual presents of silk waists and here is his letter and a check for SO you wished us a joyful christmas mr nir loring I 1 guess it a going to be one I 1 have a feeling said loring de libel athly that it Is 1 the beginning of man kanj nappy christmases for me he ile was still thoughtfully regarding the sweet profile of the young girl bending over her bright silks 1 j 4 M ab |