New Britain herald., 1921-08-19

sue gone over," Doctor Ambrose said, jerking his black bag out from under the seat of the stalled ear.
 ohe amt gone to old Montevedo's snack alone?' demanded 'Liphalet.
 The gale 'ud along the sand cliffs, let alone frail woman. Ha. I should think you'd have some sense.'
 It seems l haven't,' responded the doctor coolly. T reckon Sue can take care of herself,' and he start ed off
 stoked the fire.
 Thank the good Lord he said, T can stay blow stead of goin' aloft in this weather. Bein' neighborly and charitable is all right, but charity be- gins at home. And by Hannah. that's where Sue Ambrose ought to be this minute.'
 lie Jumped up suddenly at this thought He could not sit content with the thought of Miss Sue facing this gale along the sand cliff beyond the Point.
 There the surfmen's beaten path on the edge of the high bank was often bitten out in savage mouthfuls by the wolflsh breakers. The would be run ming high, Lipha1et knew, with this gale. It was a long walk to the old shack Of Suz Monteyer's in any weather. The surfmen from the life saving station had no love for that path in an ugly blow like this, or on a dark night in any case. The snow, too, was binding.
 'Liphalet proceeded to button him self into a thick pilot coat, tucked his trousers into sea boots, buckled the strap of his southwestern under his jaw, and plunged into the seething gale.
 There was not a soul on the road The storm was so binding that he did not seek to cut across lots and save steps. On the bare cliff, the full force of the wind-driven sleet struck him. He fairly had to crouch turning a shoulder to the wind. Here the out thrust of the land gave the storm a sweep across the brow of the cliff ,while the breakers charging in from 1 the open sea, flung themselves raven ously against the crum bling wall of l sand and olay-an unSta ble barrier at best. It did not seem as though any woman could successfully face such a gale on the cliff path. The pros pect was one to make the strongest man turn back.
 Theme came a mOmentary lull The sweeping snow parted like curtain. It fled away over the cliff, and for space 'Liphalet could see for sobe distance along the path. Was that snow wrath lowering there on the brow of the high bank? Or was it a human figure which, the next momen, was swallowed in the snow curtain? Liphalet, vastly dis l turbed by this uncertain specter in 1 the storm, plunged into it himself again and pressed ahead. On this storm-pelted morning. when most wise folks kept indoors Joe Hel1nford could not be content in his | warm and cozy quarters at Mrs. | eWthrells. In the first place, he was expecting something at the post Of
 fee which Noah Coffin should have
 brought the night before on his stage. l Helnnford had sent for the article
 in question as soon as Miss Sue had asked him to help decorate the Mar iners chapel for the Christmas en-
 tertainment Now he plodded through | the beating storm in a very different mood from that which he had ex- pected to enoy when his purchase ar rived.
 1O him, but He1mford did not turn back
 toward his boarding place; instead
 with the light but bulky box under his arm, he faced the gale and
 forced his way through it to the !SheH road neighborhood.
 l When he got to Shphalet Truitt S he saw the doctors automobile stalled outside the fence.
 Can it be that Liphalet is lll?'' Thought Helmford.
 | The kitchen door was unfastened as usual. He peered in and shouted for 'Liphalet, receiving no answer. Then, knowing as did everybody lelse in the community, where the chapel key was kept, he ran his hand ialong the clapboards and found the nail. The key was there. Then thought Heln1ford, he was the first of the decorating committee to ar rive.
 He took down the key and kept on to the vestry door. The dead chil of the place struck him as he en- l tered.
 "Wonder what's happened to MT Fruit, Helmford thought.
 The fire was laid in the heater, ano soon the young man had it roaring lIhe piles of greens were ready 1Ol Ithe workers; but nobody arrived Helmford opened the box he hac , brought from the post office. In i
 Twas as fine bough of mistletoe a: , The had ever seen. It had been sen him from Boston by parcel post. When he had sent for this bit O. , Christmas decoration he had scarce :, fly borne Pearl in mind. There wa! lsomething more in the significance o, l the mistletoe than a mere pleasantly He thrilled even now at the thought
 of pressing the girls downy lips with his own, under the benison of the , |Christmas bough.
 There seemed to be a Hull in thu gale about mid forenoon, and Cap'1 Jonah, who did not read much ant } had small means of self entertain