The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-02
FLIGHT CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII
 Beano's nerve was gone. Little things one after another had worn it down and now he panicked. He grabbed Leona's hand and pulled her through a side door. For a mo- n1ert no one realized what was hap pening and then 1t dawned on the boys that Santa was fleeing before < he had finished the job. Like a pack Of hounds they were after him with bedlam of noise.
 After them poured Ferdy, his aunt, Fay and Ross to herd them back. They were pouring outside without any of their coats and rubhers and they would catch their deaths of cold.
 Beano swept Leona into his arms and dashed to the garage. The front door was shut behind the two men now inside and he reached the garage before the hounds emerged from the house. Disuay smote him as he rounded the corner. There, standing before the doors, was farmers sleigh with two horses. There was no time for naneuvers, there was only time for action.
 He dropped Leona on to the pile of gugs in the sleigh, jumped in and snatched the whip.
 AZ the pursuit piled around the corner they saw . wonderful and traditional sight, Santa Claus in ais sleigh driving through the snow with the Queen of the Fair les with him. At the gallop 1t was spectacular and no one noticed the diSkTranged appearance of the Queen of the Fairies or her dis griihtled expression. The cold was biting through the nightgown and she was Swaying in Q struggle to disentangle the rugs amidst the frantic career of the horses and Sleiaht down the steep drive.
 The pursuit stopped dead in it's tracks. Even the most hard bitten cynic among the boys was shaken to the core by the realization that Santa Claus was behaving as if he were real after all.
 Ferdy'S aunt herded them back into the house. Only Fay and Ross were missing when the others came back to the unhappy Benny. who was now the man in the mid de, detectives in the hallway and Beano gone, leaving him to face the music.
 Myra opened the front door ex- pecting what she saw. She asked the two men in. They were big men and looked like ex-police- men. They also looked tough.
 well, boys?" she asked. "Trou- ble?"
 They nodded. wed have been here before but the car stuck in drift way back and we had to rent . sleigh from a farmer"
 Looking for Someone?" Fellow named McCluSkey up f1ere?"
 IaHe's gone3"
 "Gone?"
 asYes," said Myra. Listen"
 They listened. They heard the gx1nistakable jangle of sleigh bells ttnkling furiously.
 That's your sleigh" she said calmly.
 With one accord both men turned to dash to the door. Myra stopped them.
 wait" she said. Maybe can help you. Maybe you don't want him"
 "What do you meant" said one of them.
 -Diamonds interest your" she asked.
 "What do you know about itP'' said the other suspiciously.
 Everything" she said. I'm a bit Of a detective myself and .'' she whispered this, q" MT. Lor- ton, who owns this place, works for the R. c. M. P. Intelligence De- partment as plain-clothes man, strictly between ourselves"
 They were impressed but not Z convinced.
 ''Now listen" she said. DO you want the ice or the manp'
 Were rom the insurance com pany. We want the diamonds. If we were in the States we'd take the man as well. But this is Canada and it'd be more trouble to get him out than he's worth"
 The other man added his piece. aThe diamonds are worth eS0OOO. MecIuskeys worth nothing"
 70. K. What about Benny nrlen7-"
 sWhat about him." said one man. Don't know him. Only know this fellow left q mailing address care of Brien." Q. K.," said Myra. "Bygones are bygones f you set the dia- nl0nda? Right2"
 You bet"
 ~T'hen come and meet the boys aud don't say Q word when you fsf Q present"
 ,she led them back Go the room al ere the boys were seated ti- IT. islyely around the tree. Benny nnained pale and slightly shrunk, 1uf the two men took no notice or h|u.
 N.h whispered asides to Rsrdy