em
to have experienced a slight twinge of irritability--the past few
minutes. Hunger, I've no doubt!... So suppose we all sit down
together to this sumptuous--if somewhat chilled repast? After the soup
certainly, even after very cold soup, all explanations I'm sure will
be--cheerfully and satisfactorily exchanged. Miss--Flame I know has a
most amusing story to tell and--"

"Oh, yes!" rallied Flame. "And it's almost all about being blindfolded
and sending poor Mr. Lorello--"

"So if by any chance, Mr.--Mr. Bertrand," interrupted the Master of
the House a bit abruptly, "you happen to have the carving knife and
fork still on your person ... I thought I saw a white string
hanging--"

"I have!" said the Lay Reader with his first real grin.

With great formality the Master of the House drew back a chair and
bowed Flame's Mother to it.

Then suddenly the Red Setter lifted his sensitive nose in the air, and
the spotted Dalmatian bristled faintly across the ridge of his back.
Through the whole room, it seemed, swept a curious cottony sense of
Something-About-to-Happen! Was it that a sound hushed? Or that a hush
decided suddenly to be a sound?

With a little sharp catch of her breath Flame dashed to the window,
and swung the sash upward! Where once had breathed the drab, dusty
smell of frozen grass and mud quickened suddenly a curious metallic
dampness like the smell of new pennies.

"Mr. ... Delcote!" she called.

In an instant his slender form silhouetted darkly with hers in the
open window against the eternal mystery and majesty of a Christmas
night.

"And _then_ the snow came!"

END

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Eleanor Hallowell Abbott

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