Evening star., 1921-12-25

''There-isn't any-carving knife" !"
What? No carving knife?" he
roared imperiously. "And the house
guaranteed furnished'?" Very furi-
ously he began to hunt all around tho
kitchen.
"Oh. it's furnished, all right" quiv-
cred Flame. Its just chockful Of
dead things. Pressed flowers! And
old plush bags! And pressed flowers!
And-and pressed flowers!"
Great heavens" groaned the
stranger. "And came here to forget
dead things'"
"Your-your butler said you'd had
misfortunes." murmured Flame.
"Misfortunes" rallied the stranger
Il should think I had! In a single
year I've lost health. money-mos,
everything I own in the world except
my man and my dogs"
They're good dogs" testified Flame
"And the doctor sent me here for
six months" persisted the stranger
before he'll even hear Of my plung.
ing into things again.
six months is IA good lone
| time," said Flame. 'If you'd turn the
hens. we could make yellow curtains
for the parlor In no time at all"
W-we? stammered the stranger.
"M-mother." said Flame. ITS q
| long time since any dogs lived in the
Rattle-Pane House"
"Rattle-Brain House?" bridled the
stranger.
"Rattle-Pane House." corrected
Flame.
The stranger returned to his seat.
Il shall have to rend the turkey
| Instead Of carving it," he said.
"Rend it," acquiesed Flame.
In the midst of the rending a frowr
appeared between the strangers eyes
''These-these guests that you were
| expecting he questioned.
'Oh, stop" cried Flame. "Dreadfu
| as I am, I never-never would have
dreamed Of inviting guests"
This guest then." frowned the
stranger, "was he"
Flame. "Oh. truly, I didn't invite
him. He just butted Insane a!
you!"
Same as-I" stammered tn,
! stranger.
| WELL" floundered Flame. well
you know what I mean"
The master Of the house fixed hi
| eyes on the knotted white handker
chief which Flame had thrown across
the corner of her chair.
! "And is this Bertrand person So
SO dazzling" he questioned, that hu
man eye may not look safely upon hi
countenance"
! Bertrand - dazzling? protested
Flame. ''Oh, no! He's really quit,
dull. It was only" she explained will
sudden friendliness, "it was only tina
I had promised mother not to see
him. So, Of course, when he butted il
IL"
| oh" relaxed the master Of tn,
house. "And some people talk abou
a country village being dull in thu
wintertime!" he chuckled. with ,
dogs masquerade and robbery a
the rectory all happening the sam,
evening"
Grabbing her cat in her arms
Flame jerked her chair back from tn
table.
| IA robbery at the rectory" sh'
gasped. ''Why-why. I'm the rec
tory! I must go home at once!"
y X X X
I"0H, shucks!" shrugged the maste
| of the house. Its all over now
The constable and his prisoner ar
| already on their way to the count.
seat. wherever that may be. The reg
ular constable was off Christmasinl
somewhere, it seems. SO he put sub
stitute on his job-a stranger from
somewhere. Some substitute, that
No mulling over hot toddies on Christ
mas night for him! He saw tn
marauder crawling In through tn
rectory window. He saw him fun
bling now to the left, now to tn
right, all through the front hall. H
| followed him up the stairs to close
where the silver was evidently kept
He caught the man red-handed, as i
were. It seems there was a solid sill
yer, very elaborate carving set whicl
the parish had just recently presented
The wretch was just unrolling II
then, when he was caught"
"That was Bertrand" said Flame
my fathers lay reader"
It was the mans turn now to jum
to his feet.
What he cried.
IT sent him for the carving knife.
said Flame.
From the outside door the sound o
furious knocking occurred suddenly.
'arhat sounds to me like-like par
ents' knocking" shivered Flame.
'It sounds to me like an escaped La:
Reader" said her host.
Don't worry, little girl, whispere
the young stranger in the dark hall.
"Tl try not to-" duivered Flame.
They were both right. 1t was par
ents and the Lay Reader. All thre
were breathless. all three excited. al
three reproachful they swept into tn
Il