Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-07-31
At Twilight ..........
By Ethel Lima White

aIlOWS ilocA W ue Iiietkly lea Dy a
pigmy.
Fay checked her eloquence at the
sight Of Miss Luck's face, which was
scarlet, while the tip of her nose quiv-
cred violently. Too late. she realized
that her tactless allusion to her aunt's
proportions had mortally offended that
sensitive lady.
"Out of her WILL" she thought. IA
talistically. as she went into the
kitchen.
She caught Elsie in the act OF ap-
plying lipStick before the small mir
ror. Her pretty face had rather a
foxy expression. Although it was not
yet five O'Clock, she wore the Lido blue
coat and small felt hat which showed
that, temporarily, she "a out of serv-
ice.
MY aunt wants you to stay until
fye-thirty this afternoon, Elsie" said
Fay.
Then want must be her master"
returned Elsie, smartly.
She knew her value as a treasure
whose only fault was carelessness, and
she had no intention Of making her.
self cheap. BY leaving the cottage at
five she could obtain her seat at the
cinema for the low price of the after
noon session.
Where's the n Of me staying?"
she argued. She'll set in the drawing
room and me here. and she won't see
mt once all the blooming time"
Suddenly, Fay saw a chance of the
desired lesson for her aunt. There
would be no possible risk in leaving
her alone, at this ridiculously early
hour, for thirty minutes.
so long as you can make her think
you are here" she said, ~carelessly, ut
seems to amount to the same thing"
She brought back the tidings to Miss
Luck that Elsie would stay In.
And they're going to fetch me and
bring me back in a car" she added,
80 thereu be no risk Of meeting the
man, I'm sorry to say"
She noticed that Elsie had taken of
her coat and hat and was wearing her
muslin apron when she announced
Sergeant Davis. He was an excellent
type of policeman, powerfully built,
with a pleasant and intelligent face.
Sorry to trouble you again." he said,
addressing Miss Luck, but / think
we've got our bird this time. We're
lucky to have some n like yon- young
lady, who knows her mind right of.
Indeed, we're most grateful to both
you ladies' for your public spirited at
titude and your pluck"
Miss Luck bridled and threw back
her shoulders at this praise. She felt
every inch a heroine, SO tonic was the
combination of the policeman's admir-
alton and Elsie's apron.
She accompanied the sergeant and
Fay to the hall, and although the front
door stood ajar, she never shuddered
at the garden, wanly visible in the
pallid shroud of twilight. 1t was Fay
who remembered the perambulating
tree.
My aunt thought she saw a man
lurking round" she said.
If it is, we'll soon have him out"
remarked the sergeant, darting across
the lawn and ducking round every
shrub and tree.
mot a smell Of anyone" he said,
returning to the porch. We'll, if your
niece Identifies this mar we'll see the
end of a nasty set of towards. He's
the brain, and the gang will fall to
bits, once he's out of the way, like a
slit string of beads"
Good luck!" beamed Miss Luck,
waving her hand.
Back in half an hour called Fay
from the car.
AS she looked back she saw the front
door close on her aunt. She smiled,
feeling confident that her plan must
succeed. Inside was warmth, light, and
The garden had harbored no
reptile. And when Miss Luck knew
how she had been tricked she must
realize the absurdity of her fears.
For there Ia nothing to tell Fay
that she had just locked up the poor
lady in the company of a live snake.
Had Sergeant Davis beaten the gar
den three minutes previously he would
have found the snake. 1t lurked, coiled
up behind the pillars of the porch, a
yard away from him, when he rang
the door bell. When Elsie opened the
door to admit him she did not slam
it to, but left it Slightly ajar. This
was the snakes chance. With the
flash Of the fer-de-lance it darted in
side and hid behind the row of coats
which hung in the recess under the
stairs.
In appearance it was not an impOs-
ing snake, but among the most venom
GUS of the species are the small reptile.
which crawl in the dust. And 1t car.
ried its sting-a razor in the breas
pocket of its smart, plum-colored suit
In its fiat, black, oiled head, too
was the plan. Spotty-the Brain O.
the gang, who had croaked the woman
in the woods, was now in quod, await
ing Identification. The snake had beer
unable to strike before the advent o
the police car. But, upon Fay's re,
turn, she would find a perfect gentle,
man waiting to open the door to her.
With the mentality of his kind h
believed that the removal of the chic
witness for the crown would cause tn
case against Spotty to collapse.
Happily unconscious OF her anony
nous visitor, Miss Luck strolled bacl
to her parlor. She looked around he
with pleasure at the warm comfort an,
rich coloring Of the room. The suit
had Just been recovered with nev
tapestry-dahlias on q buff ground
None Of your cretonne loose covers TO
Miss Luck.
AS she lowered herself cautiously In
to q deep padded chair Elsie enteres
carrying q plate with molds Of yello,
and white sugar.
1--WE brought you the sugar from tn
---As anal cho cntI 1oFkl~v tYtxy