The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-15
THE BEST GIFT OF ALL
By Howard Fielding.
Continued from Page six.)

Not here!r he cried, ana, oooslnt Hale. he darted toward the rear or th' Jacks roomv he called over hi shoulder to Grace.
 He ran to the end of the hall and ap piled a nasty hand to the knoo or Let me in! Let me in!' he called. and presently the door was opened. and 2 head. with hair parted in the middle and very neatly brushed down, was thrus' R "WRats the row. doctor?" inquired g gentle and somewhat effeminate voice. 'l was just getting ready tor dinner"
 Lafarge burst into the room without stopping to answer any questions. The door closed behind him and was locked as Hale. discovered half minute later Grace resign the care of Aunt Sarah tC maid and various members of the fam fly to whom the occasion seemed unfa- vorable for him to be presented.
 He shook the door and called upon La large to let him in. There was no re sponse, but he could hear murmur oi voices.
 Suddenly the door was flung open,, and a tall youth-the same whose head hat been visible before-dashed out so hasti- ly that he almost overturned Hale. He was clothed in long overcoat -tha reached almost to his heels and was lib. orally supplied with trimmings of fine fur; but there were indications that he had not very much on beneath 1t. .., Weli tSt qpon S., my wordm @ he excl exclaimed says he wants to soak an internal ma chine in my bathtub, and was just go ing to get into it myself! I say, wed Meanwhile Hale had tried the door expecting to find 1t locked. for he had head Lafarge turn the key behind Jack The bolt of the lock had not caught in after him. despite his efforts to keep her out. Once in, she closed the door and locked it securely.
 Keep the ci..ldren away!' she called to Jack through the door. But don't tell what has happened"
 It was a large and elegantly appointed chamber. with windows opening on a broad court at the rear of the building In an alcove to the left stood a great porcelain tub, half full of water, and be- side 1t stood Lafarge, with a parcel donc up in brown paper in his hand On the floor was the big bundle, open.
 "I hope you've got the right one this time," said Hale.
 No doubt of that" replied Lafarge It's the one with no name on 1t. Grace, will you please go away?"
 As he spoke he stopped down to i'm merse the box in the tub.
 'Wait-wait, Lafarge, till I can get her out of here!' exclaimed Hale. If that's one of those sulphurio acid ma chimes. it may go off when it touches the water.
 His words came too late The box was already under the surface. Lafarge, somewhat pale, looked around at them while he gently moved the box back and forth in the water. "L guess it's all right" he said at last withdrawing it and taking off the wrap per, Its cigar box That's what they vi about the coveD'-putting a knife under it gingerly. There! It's open. Why, upon my soul. Whats this? The confounded thing is full of cigars!" q He lifted some of them, soaked and sodden. Hale stepped quickly forward. The very Old Nick, himself is in thil thing" he cried. i've haven't got 1t yet That is my box of cigars-my Christmas present to you"
 He turned and bounced upon the pile of packages that lay beside him. This time there was no mistake His hand was upon the one that Wallace had brought. Kneeling beside 1t, he waved Lafarge back.
 "In the midst of all these absurdities,' '' he said. we must not forget the real danger. Donald. I believe in my heart something seems to tell me-that there is death in this little box. Let me face it
 
 T can't" said Lafarge. My soul won't let me. Grace"--
 He pointed to the door, but the girl would not obey. She stood wringing her hands Her face was perfectly white, but it's expression was resolute and in strange contract with her attitude of ab- feet terror
 1T will not go while you stay here," she said. looking at Donald TT want to II, hot Aa~
 Hale looked at her steadily as he kneel- ed beside the package. His face was hag- gered and drawn.
 Suddenly he seized Donald's wrist and dragged him down, so that. still kneeling. he could whisper In the others ear.
 ''I love her"' he said. "I always have. ever since I first saw her. And she loves you. Now. is there any doubt which one of us can best afford to take this chance She won't go without you. and she mustn't stay. Hsten This internal thing is ticking again. TS, clockwork that was somehow interrupted in the office has be- gun to go. and you know what that means. Get away! Get away. and take her with you
 Grace" said he, "Dr Hale has just told me something which makes 1t abso- luteIy necessary that you should leave this room and that I should stay"
 He stepped up to her and took her hand. .... ..-.-. 'If you love me-" he said. "go." ''I do. I do.' she sobbed. clinging to him. That's why I can't leave you. want to run-Im frightened to death but I'd rather stay with you. Oh. can't you throw this terrible thing out of the window?"
 'Listen!" said Lafarge
 There was a moment of silence, in which the sound of childrens voices rose from the court beneath the window. The voices ceased. and the ticking of the in- formal mechanism seemed as loud as a drum,
 Suddenly the measured clicking became wfir. Hale crouched down, placing his b. dy directly over the bOx-between it and his friends. Lafarge pushed the aI- most ranting girl toward the door shield ing her behind himself.
 And then a strange sound rose from the hox-a queer, cracked melody, familiar and trivial.
 Oh. I don't know; you're not so warm!" 1t sang in a weird, uncanny key. Hale faced about. his dark visage sim gularly pallid. yet for some strange req son looking almost handsome. His eye met LafarGe's in d single glance. Then he wrenched the wrapper off the box. W hich the next instant he burst open with a blow of his clinched fist