Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-09-26
copyriGht: lAl By News Syndicate Co. In.
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO

me hit with Ma jor Creagh There
had been no raid last night. which was
abnormal. Of course. and very unfor-
tunate for Tessie Nobody spent the
night In the foyer and she had sub
sisted all day on tea without milk and
sugar. and a few soda crackers. 1t was
the same today. Christmas Day, and
going up In the lift Major Creagh said
sheerfully that he hoped they would
have another quiet night.
Two tears rolled down Tessie Apple
by's cheeks. and 1t was all she could
do not to retort. Il hope not!" But
she gulped and smiled and nodded her
agreement.
Perhaps he saw the tears. although
he gave no sign Of doing So But he
looked at her rather closely.
BY the way" he said briskly, as the
lift stopped at his floor, ARE you alone
tonight"
Tessie was mildly surprised by the
question, but perhaps he didn't know
that she was always alone-except for
the companionable foregatherings on
the raid nights.
Why yes, I am" she said.
$50 am I. It's lonely being alone
specially at Christmas. Brings back so
many memories. doesn't it? Wonder
If you'd give me the pleasure of hav-
ing dinner with me? In the reStau-
rant here. The chefs putting up a
good show, I'm told"
Tessie said, "Oh, yes, thank you" be-
fore the words were barely out of his
mouth.
She took hot bath, reserving the
Il, nf
and ears, only, but she was so faint
afterwards that mist swan before
her eyes as she began to dress. How
ever, she was downstairs, waiting in
the foyer a good half hour before the
appointed time, and when Major
Creagh appeared, rosy and benign, with
q carnation in the lapel of his dinner
jacket, she found the strength to tot
ter quite jauntily in his wake into the
odorous restaurant.
The first spoonful of turtle soup
really put heart into her, and sip
Of champagne brought dash OF color
into her cheeks. 1t wasn't long before
she became quite witty, and was moved
to chat about herself and her interest,"
ing life. Indeed, she managed quite
innocently to invest herself with quite
a lot Of glamour.
Major Creagh learned that Tessie
was an artist, and he said. with fond
shake of his head, that his dear wife
used to paint in water colors. Tessle,
the professional, let this pass with
polite murmur.
That Christmas dinner was destined
TO stand out like a beacon in Tessle
Appleby's memory for some time 10
come. They had put on their paper
caps and Tessie hung the string OF blue
beads out of her cracker around her
neck, and felt as festive as she hoped
she looked. AS a matter of fact she
looked quite young, and when she was
young she had been pretty.
The major said they'd have coffee
in his apartment. He preferred to
make it himself.
Such a honey place it was, too; nicer
even than Marquis, in TesSie's opinion,
though smaller; full of touching mem
cries of the happy life he had led until
he lost his wife and the war came 10
claim his services again.
Tessie thought he was just fine, and
when he kissed her goodnight uhder
the bit of mistletoe he had hung In
the hall, she nearly burst into tears
of gratitude.
But there was slight blow in store.
Major Creagh said he probably would
Mt be seeing her again for some httle
time. as tomorrow official business was
taking him to the North.
That night, quite by accident. Tes-
sic found the key to the store CUPBOARD
that Margot had been nagg ng her
about. even to the point of limiting that
perhaps she really had found 1t and
was helping herself to the stores.
1t was her own fault that Tessie
hadn't found it before. Her foot kicked
against it at the foot OF chest IN the
entrance hall, as she was coming mto
the apartment. If she had been keep
ing the place properly swept she Woulo
have made the discovery long ago.
She picked it up, turning it over IN
her hand in a speculative way, ana
then opened the store cupboard JUST
to have a look at what Margot had
collected.
It was rather a pity that Tessie APP
pleby was SO well and truly fed at this
moment; indeed, to such REPETITION that
she felt she would never want 10 eat
again. Had she found the key earlier
in the day there might have been
different tale to tell.
Scornfully her glance ranged the
ciose-packed shelves. There was enough
here to keep large sized family from
starvation for months. Six deep shelves,
not to mention the floor space. packed
solid with jars and tins and entlclng
packets of every manner of foodstuff
and other commodities.
Tessie felt quite contemptuous OF her
wealthy relatives foresight, and all but
relocked the door before she bethought
herself to borrow cake of toilet soap.
It was easy enough to fill up the gap,
and unless Margot had actually kept
an inventory of her supplies, she prob
ably wouldn't notice. /
Then Tessie did lock the door, and
still under the heady influence OF
Christmas fare and Major Creagh's
embrace under the mistletoe, she put
the kew into thick envelope which
sl,e addressed to Margot at her retreat
on Windermere. and under-stamped
because she had only penny one, then