The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-07-10


prim little forge t-me-nots and primmer
little rosebuds were visible on the oval
dish.
Comically, guiltily, the criminals
looked at each other. Then, as if moved
by ono impulse, they put their hands in
on the plate. Hilton followed suit.
Then Bertrand pulled out his MOTEL book
and wrote:
To the Queen of Hearts. who made some
tarts-with thanks and compliments"
He tore out the page, laid it on the
Beleek dish, and weighted it with the
money. After which both conspirators
took up their guns, and, shaking with
laughter, ran across vacant lot,
around a corner, jumped into their wait.
ing buggy and drove rapidly into town.
1T is after four" remarked Tom;
1--WE must make haste"
And all the time Chrystal Brunton,
blessedly unconscious of the theft being
perpetrated, sat and listened to the
chatter of Miss Stokes. 1t was quar-.
ter to six before that victimizing visitor
made her welcome adieux.
Gracious! how l will have to rush."
groancd Chrystal, as she closed the
door behind the brown-silk back Of
Maria Ansc!:ae-for that was he,
guests novelistic name.
Into the dining-room flew Miss B1Ss,
ton, pushed out the table, whisked of
the velours cover, spread on the cloth
of milkwhite damask, took the solid
silver from its chamois wrappings, and
brought the company china from its Sc
| clusjon under the sideboard. Then q e
put ON big nainsook apron, went into
the kitchen, frightened the fire, bur.
ried to the buttery, carried the meat
into the dining-room and went back fol-
| the tarts.
Where had they vanished? There
was the dish. But the tarts! She stood
still and rubbed her eyes.
Stolen, beyond doubt.
The face that was so sweet and youth
,, full and sunny-souled, If not positively
pretty, grew scarlet from brow to chin.
| Oh! it was too bad! After all hel
trouble, too! Who could have taken
| them? Probably those horrid little
Volmouth children. The CLEAN of the
dollars caught her eyes. She went for.
ward, took up the scrap of paper, and
| read the lines thereon. She laughed in
spite of herself. Assuredly the Vol.
mouth children were not the culprits.
To be robbed and paid in this fashion
What hungry and gentlemanly villain
lurked in the neighborhood? OIL i,
was aggravating, and ridiculous, too.
well, I'm glad it was the tarts and
not grandmother's Beleek dish he fan.
cied," she told herself, by way of con.
ISOLATION.
Half an hour later Clarence and his
friends appeared. Mrs. Bruntor
emerged from her room, and the head
of the family came home from the CITY.
At tho first favorable moment Chrysta]
beckoned her brother into the hall.
| 'Clarence!"
| "Well?"
'The strawberry tarts!'
"Di'l they fail?'
His particular penchant was straw.
| berry tarts. He was interested In their
possible fate
"FaI!" Indignantly. "They neve,
fail with me. They" with much solem.
| nifty, were st0len!!'
"No?"
She nodded sadly.
by whom?"
81 don't know" And then she told
him ct the note and the money left OF
! the plate.
At supper, he laughingly insisted on
telling the whole story. Hilton and
Bertrand. who had grown painfully EN-.
barrassed when Clarence Brunton had
pointed out his home, stole startled
glances at each other, as the tale pro
ceeded.
LET me see that scrap of paper
! Chrissie.7 Clarence said. in conclusion.
She drew it from her pocket and
handed it to him.
"By Georgep' he cried, in surprise
and delight