Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-30

w &9
"HEREs Mr.. MIDDLETON. PERHAPS HE CAN
HELP YOU"
a decidedly scrappy meal in his own
room. he had dropped in to call on
her-and Lillian Mckay. "And your
family lives in the western part of the
state? OF course, il you had known
how it would be, you could have made
your arrangements in plenty of time
yes-and now
"And now it will be sufficient cause
for thankfulness if l get anything to
eat at all tomorrow"
"Oh, dearw said Lillian. ITS all too
dismal for anything. l wish Ronald
Fraser would come now, if he is COM
ing to New York. 1t would be dis
traction"
"When did he say he was coming,
my dear?" Mrs. Latour asked.
Some time about the end Of Novem-
Der; said he expected to drop in on
me-" Then, with sudden start and
a worried look on her face, Lillian eX-
claimed; "Oh, l say! Wouldn't that
be dreadful? How is Ronald going to
find me if he does Gomez
Mrs. Latour had heard of Ronald
Fraser. Middleton had not. He Won
dered, in gloomy silence, who on earth
Ronald Fraser could be.
You can write to him, dear, can't
you?' said Mrs. Latour. Wont a let
ter reach him in Toronto?'
He left Toronto weeks ago, Mrs.
Jatonr q may ba in Nau YORK q Z
this very moment"
1T would be dreadfully vexatious,
my dear But don't let's fret ourselves
about it, Mr.. Middleton, you are the
man of resource who found shelter for
poor Mrs. Flanagan and kept us all
from going hungry. You can surely
think of some way to gave Mr.. Fraser
from going distracted when he finds
No. 9S empty and no little Canadian
girl anywhere"
AS for Middleton, he at first could
think of no scheme to save Mr.. Fraser
from distraction. But presently he saw
that Lillian's mind was seriously dis
turbed by the prospect of missing this
Mr.. Fraser, she saying nothing. She
had sat down apart, to stare through a
window pane at the flakes Of snow that
fluttered from out the darkness. And,
whoever Fraser might be, Middleton
could not resist the power of Miss Nc
Rays sadness.
Perhaps it would be good idea. y
he said, las we can't camp out in the
snow, waiting to catch Mr.. Fraser at
No. 90, to pin notice on the door over
there"
That's It." Lillian cried, jumping
up. Give me piece of paper. Hell
know my writing. Look here. I'll say
apply at'-whats this number?-'a'
SO, across the way"
Very WELL" said Middleton. "I'l
take it over But, by the way, don't
you think that, as Mrs. Flanagan could
hardly furnish forth the semblance OF
a meal this evening, we might go oul
and forage for Thanksgiving dinner
just to make sure!"
Buy things?" Lillian exclaimed joy
fully. "Oh, come on! Let me get my
, hat I've got $3.50"
. And is the old woman expected tC
play chaperon to a marketing party or
; such a night as this?' Mrs. Latour ask
| ed plteously.
9 at does seem a little too much" sai(
i. Middleton, though l see no old WON
an in this case"
4, "Oh, Mrs. Latour, think you car
1 trust me with Mr.. Middleton this once
can't you?" said Lillian, Juggling on {
e rubber shoe.
: 81 think l might, just this once
= What are you going to get?'
"Oh. a turkey for us three" Middle
) ton began, once more thinking that his
luck was not SO very atrocious, afteI
b all
Yes, and perhaps Ronald may b.
i here to have some"
: And, with that remark of Lillian's
down again went Middleton's opinion
of his luck.
stuffed with chestnuts," he wen
on mechanically, "cranberries, cara
! mels, ice cream
Come on" Lillian Interrupted
y AS they went out of the street doc
;, bang.
do you always smut uoors In
v that" Miss Mckay asked.
"Eh? No, not always, only just nov
l. I happen to be looking out for any
l. thing | can get to SIAM" Middleton
answered viciously as they paddle
D away through the wet snow, Lillia
" carrying the placard to be affixed t
the doorpost of No. 0S.
II The placard was securely fastene
over the bell button. and then the
r made for the corner to catch a car.
II AS they took their stand close I
the track, by an iron elevated railroa
l. support, the car slackened speed, an
10 a man in n long coat and n fur cal
whom Middleton supposed to be som
r holiday rOisterer, Jumped OH. The ma