Show anoline told herself a dozen CAROLINE times s a day that she did not C care r whether she heard from stephen or not what possible df terence ference could it make now after all these months of silence and here it was christmas eve not a message not a card oh well she turned away from the window one must not allow ones self the luxury of regret fires burned brightly on the hearth holly hung above the mantel snow outside cheer within that was all she required she hummed a tune in false gabely A ring at the door stephen no just a messenger boy with a box carolines lingers fingers crackled the red cellophane unwrapping it no card just crazy dozens of jigsaw jig saw pieces she walked restlessly about the room then she returned to the box black and white hite pieces only idly she fitted a few together leaned closer and frowned familiar handwriting hand writing stephens hand writ ing excitedly she bent above the puzzle fitting the rest together grad VV 6 1 A I 1 kim 1 1 1 PA A 0 ja caroline was not alone with tier her bright fire and holly bally stephens clear strong writing stared up at her dear caroline it read if you have the patience to put this together I 1 shall know you are still interested in me I 1 could not tell you what I 1 wanted to before I 1 left because I 1 was not sure ot of circumstances but now I 1 know I 1 can take care of you will you marry me caroline A yes would be the most marvelous christmas present in the world I 1 love you stephen she laughed a little she cried a little then she went to the mantel and snatched down a photograph ol of herself this she cut up into small jagged pieces on several she wrote a single word which when put together read 1 I have gone all to pieces missing you then on the mouth of her pictured face she added the single word yes these pieces she quickly wrapped up in the box sent to her ber and dispatched it by a messenger who admitted that a gentleman had given it to him who was staying at the inn in town in another hour caroline was not alone with her bright lire fire and holly and christmas eve was what it should be stephen declared he had been too scared to conae come himself and sent the puzzle as a test case then he kissed her 0 western newspaper union |