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2-1 ‘I

°AGE FOUR

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THE CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN

_Some Seasonable Superstitions

. Origin of Ancient Beliefs that Still Persist By Sir Charles lgglesdon, Author of Those -" perstlllon;

the bait ls taken, the ﬁsh will be landed before the 21st of June.

Cluosanlditnde arrives in an al- mgpnel-c of supihstltloll for t must be rcmenlbcred that the ntrodumon ‘ c2 Cllllstxulllby was responsible for msuy of the commonplace supersti- - b.6115 of today. 'I"ne blTiCL line

Down the Cihmney

Grccn, gscepi. .01 an Irish girl, is a. Cowl‘ tullb uclcfl lllhlltllq’ A01‘ 8 blade, out anyone man-ca on UIIHSL‘ lllds uaj‘ or nuxnlg uay can lvcar ii. lntrlout the sllglucsi. risk. We jluu SuVCTl-U 0.4M}. JLl/ﬂllutiéi whole El UCAvm HUu-un muy hr ng oad luck uunng tile luol. oi rile year out good llluli un Cllfél/lllhé Uay. r01" lllnl/Bllcﬂ, t it is ulnluky to cul. your lllili, '.v '11 011M911 "$11111 ‘l “ML it 11211.5 on a. Fnday, but should (Jill-ls.- f0 111:, the. ulnblv-ln of tlie 131111133 mas may lzlll on a Jrbuday, you and mliy tllc prict ¢v111<1lb155 111K191’ snou d m_kc every effort lo cut :11 it ill illc old clll-“l- least one nail for good luck.

Tile one 11 of u. vast number 0T 1n the crdlllary way it .5 consid- nllu-r .\ll11L'l‘>lll1\)l1_S nppllrclltly crud ,,c,-@,_5,,ry to rake out, 1,1] zlrsurd can be trzlccd to 111B “11111- embers 110111 a. ﬁre grate before rc- who carried on her Vadc, or 116- Lirlng to bed, to keep the llllUlb p AC1fCES——\R'1l1Cl'll"v'CI‘ fornl Dev-u {mm coming down the chlm- 3.1111 11111" 1° 11-‘~‘~-11.-' Scan“? the ney; cool s lepllgllilllu to him, while piwjlic of the \Oll"\1ry"de' 011 lllC other hand, he enjoys illc

111' 150. 111'?‘ 1113115 5°“ a warnll-h of hot. embers. 0n Clll'Sl' “0111911 t“ 4 fl 108d 01 1151i’ am] mas Night, however, the Evil 01W

1W1‘ 111119 IHYB-‘ﬁ 8.111‘ b91191“ a" dare not come dov n the clllnlney ‘ 119 0W1‘- bad “wk “mud whether the embers be red or black . -1 'l"1111-"~111°111("t"1"¥ ‘Vim a and 3,1011 can safely leave the ﬁrc l; 11 m‘ llnj: was llenccfru-ill looked buynjjg all n gilt. 111x111 u» unlucky. N111 11‘“"‘h"‘d5 M 'You wiil find no mcvc supersti- “- 111 111"‘1111°"5 m“ b” folmd“ liuuTs nlcn than the shepherds, and s. '- i 2011s utterly l-icvrlllous with the“, is a tradition in Rgmngy l.-lr~l: of i:nls-,'llli~ oxplannﬁnu other MM-gh mun at dawn on Christmas l1l-ﬁn 11:11 our I 118W‘ 211911- lllorning every sheep jnccs the East and bows three tlncs.

of demarkatlon bcLuL-cn llll.‘ p: ‘M10041 and the UIX\K1ULK4 1 .1 pc. .l ‘Xi-S 1T1)‘ 9-0‘ llﬂllllycd 1.110 Hlillly colnnlon super- stit 011$ of lOdLly sgmbolical of r0- . clln be traced t0 B1115 iilnlalion of the super-

' llnlly Cuslonls

Mllﬁl supcrstil-ion orlce silrt0u11d~ herd on hi. 51¢ kbed and was re- ed illif lllnxilfl/OC. ‘rue llcad o. a quested 1o rend hs favorite hymn I..1n l,» co.:....<ll.rcd LlUCillHDBlll. up- n which the following lino occur- earl}

0:1 lrill ‘.0 kis every wolllrul lI- 1151; ‘The resents hues of

like lhiiibl‘. 1-10 <1 dill-Cd “V19- 1115 down." 'l‘hc old nlnn, who could not ¢11L‘\'<l'<1-111¥111l'1'$fllldglgélnng 11151111" rend, hzld nlways ccllcvcd these servants. Unless this custom was wm-CL; “(ifel "The l-qu-s of owes at corxied out bad lu.-k would befall @;,-_-1y(1;,v,-n_"

A colvmon practice of til“ shep- herd on his seck 1rd and was re- ﬁngers on the back oi irtv-tvw shetp on Chlnstnlas DRY- T1115 911' sures fiftyvtwo lucky weeks. for the flock.

Candles and Mince Yes

the hclzsc for twelve months. Ill Lhc We z, of ljllglulld it s urged that if rile nlstlctoc be not burned on 'I‘\vriftl-l Night, ill, unmarried coup- lcs who llrlvc kissed bencotlljt will bc foes bciorc the end of t-llc year.

Holly nlust be brought 11110 the house n‘. Cilristlnastdc but it is absolutely llcces dry l0 ourn it and zlcvcr to fhrmv it away ill the dust- bill. The orgin of lllS superstition is that the holly berry ls the food of the robin which, l1l ancient days. was lonkod upon 11s ll holy bird.

No Christmas evergreen should cvci" be zrlolved. to renlalll in the llousc zlficr ‘Fwelftll Night and even at the prrisclll; time n formal cere- lllolly is curred out l1l some parts of England by lzlk 11g down the dec- ‘ olaliiclis, (llffylllg 111cm llllo a. gar- den and buulillg thrill. If this sol- emn ritual be not carried out. the house will be visited by evil spirits.

Some cottagevs .11 Ireland .ive ill swo of Chnslmas Day for it is a custom of the head o1 the house to light a. huge candle, on Christmas Eve and the manner in which .1 burns dclcrllllncs the fllie of zlt least ollc member of the family.

This candle is ploccd l1l the window’, and liglltml, wll 1e Lho fa- mily gather round ill fear and trembling lest. it should flicker out after bum 11g olliy a few seconds. If 11115 untoward event llnppells, i1- lneans a death ill tile fmnlly; if, however, tllc flnlllcburlls 011, 1t nlcalls a lucky year for all those who are asscnlbled ill the roonl.

To have the good old Cllr sirmls pudding s-crvcd without, a. sprig of holly would be unthinkable; but it is

not generally known that the reason for burnnig sprits is not to give the puddlng a special taste, but the fkllncs drive the Evil Sp rlt away, leaving the holly surrounded by good luck. The eating of a, mince-pie starts

This custom of rollingc llclv1y- 52:2???tlzzigngégléngigifspotf born clllld 111 the sllolv was carrlcd every mncbple cam] in a diﬁcrem m“ by me M 11mm“ “m: quite misc a 111011111 oi good luck for the recently’ and one Or mesa 0d “O- coining year is ensured.

SPELLING KITTEN

Christmas Babies

A cilld born during Cllristnlas- tide, lusting from Cllristnlas Day until New Year's Day. will always be lucky. but it must ullvays be pricked with a holly leaf, on the right leg if it be a boy and on mu left leg if it. be a gift, Should snow be on the ground a‘; the time of its birth, the infant should be rolled l1l it before it l.» six hours old.

jllevcs in many places this 1151113! ‘Jllactjcq is indulged ill surreptitious- ly today. ‘ A 10m‘ °11 Chmlm“ “wmmf; A am little girl '

should “Wk 1° 111°_11°1‘5° °' "5 wun her brain m a whirl, betrothed and, if tile snow is on w“ asked the word uklttm» ,0 the ground. throw a. snowball at ape“,

hel- window. If £11919 119 11° 5W“- a "K double l-l-t-e-ll." said slle: small 115117119 915° “M117” hzfmnnc“ Alld thought she had done and pgsglbly marriage dumng the w,“

"a" "n kitt t‘ r1"

a1 su rstltlon as en M‘ 9 There ‘s a’ gene! pe And the teacher's surprise-

- = ' 1 t ble shc ‘Mia’: léiv; 8:: zrsrrfelz, dB“: chlkst_ _Wlth nlirtll and patience was w - - ~

VQTY

. blended . - l. . If sic

711115“ 15:3’ éssijzuseﬁcgtéigctmg m; "My kitten has tlvo," sold Marjorie 5 o“ e e ' Lou,

attention of a man 11111“ "mills; And she looked as sllc felt-quite n13}, (my, she should sit on a. contented‘

and thus secure his admiration. If __ Feast of Lights

The oldest numc for Christmas is “The Feast of Lights"—ll. refurcncc to the glory in the heavens when angels sang lhclr song announcing Christ's birth to the shepherds. It is of interest to note that the Chin- ese, ln their astronomical records, entered an llccounf. of :1 new and travelling stllr, wllich appeared a few months after Christ was born. Thus the Biblical story of the Wise Men being guided by a slur has out- sidc corroboration.

It ls the Christmas time, And up and down ‘twlxf, heaven

and earth In glorious grief and solemn mirth The shining angcfs climb.

A PICTURE

A picture is a poem without words.-Horacc.

w-lﬁﬁ" 13:1;

A pnrsoll once visited n11 old shPll"

THE KELDERCOTES HAPPENING

By VINCENT CORNIOR

First of all there was the light- a long and sosltillant. passage of wllle file describing an arc through the air. And from the iight devolv- cd sonlething that rang like ll true and tiny bell, someth ng that oound- ed along the polished floor and came to a. rest .n a. corner with a whir- ring note, as of a ‘Bllliputlan hum- min-g top. when and where it stop- pvd, the light persisted n the form of a fie.ce‘.y and lntolerably radiant stud. The two men who had just enter- ed the panelled corridor stopped and ex hanged started glances. 'I‘he face of tile younger had become drawn and grey but the elder man was suddenly flushed wth exclled color. “Now lvlllllfs this," he softly chal- lenged his host, "a manifestation of the Keldercotes haunting, or simp- 1y a tom-fool trick?" "It's car's. nly after the style of-- of the other occurrences," Riddle- iulugll, tile owner -of the old house . d Kcldercn: s, wearily sighed us answer, "that's all I can say." Professor Cunningham robbed .15 eh n. He did not care for-the rmlgn- ed and dull attitude of Rlddiehaugh. His (‘XDCIICHCC of mank nd and its peculiar nervous ills was sufficient to nlokc him realize Ridd ehuugh was on ille- verge of a complete bleak- down. "No one could have p‘ayed n ' '. The scncntlst looked back from t-he -corrid0r to the group of guests who were langu dly enjoying Jlezllselves about the big ﬁre in the 1n‘l. "The 2's no one lnteretcd en- 1 and no cn: near enough for hat Idcs, pcople don't. chuck dia- 116111115 trough the a r for a joke." Bruce Riddiehaugh gasped and lnrcd at Professor. Cunningham, unlf.u dcd. Tile ll.tle scentist ;l1u k'ed and poilzted to the glow- ng‘ p0 nt. “Well, can't you be'leve me? Pick the thing up and see l: Im not right. Go on, it won't bite you!" Riddiellaugh stooped and retriev- ed the my: tcrious globule. His hands trclnbled as llc touched it . _ . “By jove, Professor-V-you haven't made any mistake! It's a. damond! And a beauty." "I could tell that from the ring it luade when it struck the floor. There's 11o sound in the world quite so prccsc as that of ‘dlamollzltone.’ Let's have a. look at it." Riudiehzlugh took the opportunity wlmlc Culmingllanl metodlcally ex- um 110d lllu iargc stone, to scrutinise ~iilc pllrgetted ceiling and the llllen- fald panelling of the corridor" . . . He suspected a. luck, for all that he llilfl nccuicsccd in the scientist's de- nial that trickery was possible. There was no place he could define, either >i1l celiiug o1‘ in walls, from wlllch the thrown genl could have proceed- ed.

Certainly it had not come from the hall. Tile brilliant arc of its pas- sage had been clearly seen-an arc which had seemingly been describ- cd from lcft to rght across their view. Granted so much, the gem had traversed the corr dor from some unknown genesis which could be d.._.'nlrled only as the solid fabric of o'd oak——lvhlch appeared absurd. The path had not been one of fall: the stone had not dropped from the decorated ceiling, There was nothing else for it - . . what- ever agency was behind its move- ment, that agency had directed it from the left hand panels to the right.

qDﬂvou know," exc tement still iinclured Professor Cunningham's voice, "this thing ls more of a, mys- tery than I thought at ﬁrst. It's a. cabochon-lapped stone which was shaped as long ago as the fifteen- llulldreds, Rlddlehauglll None of your modern workmanship here, old follow. The art of cutt ng a. diamond to this exact shape has not been practised for ceniur es."

“It's 'a fit match then for the sliver conlflt-box, the 111cc and all the rest of the trlfles our spook linvcs about the place." Rlddlehaugh , had livcllcd. Cunningham was sec- retly pleased to hear the more ro- bust talking. "They're all Elizabeth- an. I think you said?"

"That's the dcvl of it." The Pro~ lessor quctly gave the big diamond lo the owner of Keldercotes. "That's wily I suspect an agency at work, behind all this strange business, which has more than merely psy- chic senticnce. If you notice, all the things you mention, and this stone, are absolute wp-notcheu of their type and class."

"That's correct so far as it goes."

"But they al-e-"

"To our valuaton," Rlddlehaugh sr-locthly argued. "But. Cunnng- ham, don't you see my point . . .

rarities of the kind we've found here in Keldclootes during the last year or two might not be rarities among the hoard whence they are taken."

"You're at it agalm-at it again!"

"I thing I'm l-‘ght 1n what I sur- mise." Rlddlellaugh laughed, but still remained dogged. "There's a load of treasure secreted somewhere in this place-stuff we ‘should dub ‘treasure’ today: stuff that was merely decorative and of ordinary utllty captures ago. That silver comflt-box weighs about two Troy ounces-worth, intrinsically, five shillings."

"But worth, to a connoisseur ml’ lad, six hundred gulneasi" Professor Cunningham was suddenly testy. "Don't you go on annoying my ord- erly mud! I tell you I'm by way of beng deﬁnitely inclined to my ﬁrst theory-that something more

wthin her own. "Wish I hadn't mentioned lb-"

“Lama's had a visit from the spirit world," Miss Mllgerlson had not Lornals retlcence. Her drawl infuriated the quieter girl. "A deal‘ little spook has made her a. pres- chi!"

1011111 shot a glance, coldly. at the effervescent Miss Magersoh . , . then outstretched her right hand. Riddichaugh jumped. A second dia-

mond was in that palm. ‘

"I —I found it on my dressing table," the girl said. "One of the qucerest things I've ever known , _ , I was just telling them all, about W.

"YES." a. man's vo'ce this: the

5083M Mﬂflorics admirer of the

l110mCllt~W1lO had interpreted, with

dkopproval, Lama's attitude, "as

11141210111? 511115. you ought to write

l

i‘ l i.

1,1 111,161 l’ ‘$1311’, l: _ 111*’. L l 1 ll \.

Scream Cut Through The House Like aBanshc

‘ ‘l .1‘ '1'- c Wall.

than a. ghostly agency is having rl

rare old time here; designed for

your especial benefit."

"Bub-but, m the 111N115 that's wonderful-willy?"

"That remains for pzoof, Riddle- lleugll. Let it suffice that here's o. phantom Chrlsllnas box; o. speci- men damond worlh much more than the C0llllllrb0X_ . . . destined, I suppose. to share" the fllie of all tllc rest of your ghostly treasure trove."

"I shall put it l1l my safe along with the other thugs and wail u1ltll—"

"Walt, my grandmother!" Cun- ningham suddenly buffeted Riddle- lleugh's shoulder. “You make me wild! Sell the things-sell ‘em, my boy! They're planted here and there for that especial purpose."

"One can't presume a maglle or a daw responsible for this diamond." Riddiehaugh mused. "The late and the comf t-box and the other things might have been oddments picked up by birds and dropped . . ~ Keldercotes is a. verltalfe haven for both kinds of bird. My theory there- fore must so Dhut-stlll, I'll not subscrbe to yours.”

"Then, said Professor Cunning- ham, "shut up and take me lo somewhere quiet where 1 call llzlvc c long drink and a lest. You clear off and look after your other guests. I want to think."

Rddiehaugh grinned and led tllc way to his study. He felt happier.

This blunt little scientist was thoroughly to be trusted. If uny- one cou'd solve the mystery of illc haunting of Kcldel-mtes, 1t was Cunningham . . . .

Bruce Rlddiehzlilgll was conscious of the seethlng excitement before he reached the llearthslde in the hall, after composing Professor Cunning- ham in a deep chair with a tmy of creature comforts with n reach. Tile rather languid air of half all hour ago was gone. Faces were eager and voices were intent. A newcomer to the circle, Lorna Baynlon, appeared to be the nucleus of the change.

“All, here's our plot-weaving Bruce," Marjorie Mngel-‘son, solg- nee and provocative, leaned back in her chair and extravagantly waved fo Riddlehaugh, “He'll make some- ih'ng of it, Lorna. What a ﬂne title for his next thrlITcr-"Phe Phan- Wm Lady's Maid‘ . . , or, ‘Ibrmrs Leap-"

There was some laughter at this, but it died when R/ddlehaugh asked queallons. Agnln that drawn air was on him. None could fall to notice it.

“Oh, all rather slly, Mr. Riddle- haush." mm» Baynton looked straight into her host's troubled W"- bﬁtflylh: the real concern

of all

n. lhfl lcr on if, old man. A daylight gllcse, bjovc!"

- "You never told us Keldercotes was haunted, Bruce." Guy Ponsonby, u big bluff and hard-riding fellow who lounge dback ‘n an inglenook, look up ille plaint. "Rather tough on us—\vllzlt?"

“l-frluntcd-nllbfsll!"

Riddiellnllgll would have gone on in rcckiess denial, had he not. ob- scrvcd something more than mere concern ill Lorlm Bzlyntonb beauti- ful L‘_'y'05. The girl was afraid-afraid with that dim and crecpng atrophy of a‘! healthillcss of sprll; which had grown on hls own sturdy nat- ure, to make him weak. For her sake he decided to be frank. ,

“Perhaps? he amended, "I shouldn't be so forthright as that." immediately he found a. coherence among his guests. They each settled into a. mould of purest and enthrall- cd lntovcst, Apparently Isorna had captured iller attention to a. ﬁne degree; cvcn the ultra-sophisticated Marjorie had lost her lazy hardness for ulld sguiscd eagerness. "Some- thing certainly is curiously at work ill this place." '

He sblvly llt n. cigarette and thought over what 11c was going to say . . . IIe deeded to tell them all he kllclv. If any wanted i4; leave lhc party after that-they could do

h0- "It all started in May of last year. I'd only been hero u matter of a. few months, and my sister's health was improving-J’ Rddle- llzlugll, tllc novelist who was their 110st. had all invalid sister who kept llousc for lllm-"wihen the first set- back call-lo; Norah, as you all know, 1s by nlauncr of nloalls u foolish type of woman, desp te her various, ailments . . . She told me the ﬁrst story.

"S110 11nd been quietly slting by an upstnlr window watching a par- t cularly beautiful sunset when, she told mo, she became aware of some- one in the room with her. She turn- ed and saw-or thought she saw-a liitlc cld woman just making out of’ the door.

"Norah was quite tongue-tied for ll nloment but when she called out and people came, a search was nladn _ '. , Note a. trace of the little old creature was found.

“What was (facovered, however, was a silver comflt-box. An old- fashloned thing you know-I'll have to show it to you. Certainly "'t wasn't in Norah's room before the apparition-and certainly no one could lay claim to it in this house, It had the dross of centurcs on it. We had it valued and exlmined and lt turned out to be Elzllbetluln.

- ' i DECEMBER 11, 1932

ii

A coon 0L0 WISH

1n Warwlcluhlre Arden It Milddleton Hall, When the Yuletide was nolrly at prime,

with ice on the waters ,a.nd mow on the wall. And-wlndow-panca patterlrd in time,

The squire stood up at the bountiful board, A hearty, old-fashlorfd good soul,

And quaﬂlng a bumper the butler had pour'd, This ditty proceeded to troll-

"A good old wish in the good old way, A merry and prosperous Christmas Day, ‘

May peace and plenty and all things dear Surround our lives in the coming year!"

ID

' deference.

‘rile words oi’ the lilt and the jovial refrain We echo'd in chorus with might,

And now that. the season is with us again, We'll sing ii: all over tonight.

May we meet as we met at this time of good-will, But should the ways force us apart, ‘

The song shall remain in our memories ltlll, And speak to the heart from the heart.

A good old wish In the 800d old way, A merry and prosperous Christmas Day, May peace and plenty and all things dear ‘Surround our lives in the coming year!

“Then, time after time, we came across queer things. A piece of ancient lace and a Child's ring-e mouldy old book and l; crystal hllted polgnal-d, a. piunce-box and a sliver qu llcutter. In every instance, these things showed sgns of great 118B and in every case they were put in concpcuous places . . . I 111111 8 theory that the magples 1161681101115 were pIayJ-g tricks. But I hold w that no longer," he shook some ash oﬂ his cigarette, “for reasons I might disclose to you later!’ HE laughed. "Well, you've got the H10 out of me-Ws Christmas time- surely you also ought to get a seas- onabe cr-ngl 21g of the 5111116 0111 of it, if nothing else . . ."

After a time of strained quiet-l it dawned on Rlddlebaugll that every- one was regarding Lorna with a new The mocking all- of Marjorie Mrlger son was K155191117“!- Evcn the bluff hunting man was scratching at his bullet head with something like l-ueful consternation.

"i declare," Ilornals voice was rhaky but held laughter. "That's absolutely marvellous, Mr. Riddle- ‘laughi 0h, thank yocl"

"Er-that's all right.’ Rlddiehaugh wan flustel-ed. "But how have I :al'ned-" -

"What you've said," the hunt-in! man grunted, “bears out all Miss Bayllton had been telling 115-"

"Yes . . . phantom lady's ma'd and. 1111,". Marjore was n01- VJ 11° denied. "Really, my dear, Ull-lllinﬂ ls not the word for itl" She sighed.

“And a diamond thrown in as-as n

sol-t of supernatural oompenslatlon , , . world's more than thrilllnl- you know!"

Lorna. answered Rlddlehauﬂfﬁ question ng gave. .

."Exactly my experience this af- temoon," she calmly stated. "I had a feeling someone was in the r001“ with me and started to 100k about me. I thought of that tall P01111461" closet"-Rlddlehaugh widened hi5 eyes-"lnd opened its door. Noth- lng there . . . but, as I turned round a llttic old woman .11 the queintest dress imaginable was just sidllng through the bedroom door."

“The powder closet," Rlddiehaush echoed softly. "Then-of course, I remember now-you have the room my sister was occupying when she saw the old omen!"

"Oll, horl-orsl" Mﬂflbrie MBEBTM“ shrleked and made a. show of 111‘- tistlc shudders. "Imrna dal-lnﬂ- 5°” how the e-hurse hath come “P011 thee! Ye guest in ve blunted chanybeﬂ" '

"What. about the diamond?" The hunting man evidently 591ml“ m lmpng to main essentials. "Tell him of that Miss Bunion-whet?"

“Ycs," lovingly Lorna regarded the perfect stone she still hefd 1n her hand, "this magnificent tllinB caullll; my eve- Whmvﬂ- °1' Wm" ever, the old woman Wﬂ-B-dhe 1e“ this behind her. It was 31681111118 °n the bed, just as though it had been carelessly flung there. And what I'm u» do with ll; I really 11°11“ know." A sweet andylilf-ll V01“ made an answer‘. _

"Consider it as your own. m)‘ d5"

Mas Bllyntoll. I'm sure all these

Lucky Number

(Continued from page 3)

"I wouldn't peach on old ‘Teddy's’ preserves even for you," retorted Mr. Prothero, lndlgnantly. “Good luck to him, seys I."

They emerged into the spacious hall the electric lampsshaded with Chinese lanterns.

“There, what did I tell you," whis- pered Mr. Prothero, nodding in the direction of the inglenook that no longer had occasion to ycarll for ro- mantic occupation.

Lady Helena looked and her'com- plexlon passed from pink to‘ purple. ’ "How dare the mun?" she cried.

"Such lmperbincnce. Is that how you repay my generosity in helping you?" This latter accusation was made as she confronted the smil- ing Freddy and the fearful Rose- mary.

“I certainly owe you an apology, Lady Helena," confessed Freddy, "but you must admit that you drag- ged me In to dinner the other night, and as I mentioned to George, thirteen was always my lucky number. Perhaps you would lrltroduce me, Basil?" he added, turning to the very amused ﬁgure of Mr. Prothcro.

“Lady Helena-the Honourable Freddy Toddington." -

But Lady Helena was accustome to emergencies and she did not cvcll falter for a moment.

“How utterly stupid of me," she smiled, "but then something told me you were not Mr. Teddy."

"I object, strenuously to being re- ferred to as ‘something’ " coul- plalned Mr. Prothero.

The four of them laughed good humouredly and in that laughter everything was dissolved.

"And did Rosemary know, too?" asked Lady Helena,

To Freddy's amazement she nod- ded shly. "I knew him the ﬁrst time he came to dinner," she confessed. "He's so like the photograph I saw of him in one of the illustrated papers a. few weeks ago taken nt a hunt ball."

"Then that's rill right," said Freddy, as they returned to the inglenook, "but the answer will no longer be ln tile negative I hope."

And in due season it was as Freddy hoped.

(Copyright ln all countries: Pub- lished by arrangement with News- paper Features, Limited.)

weird gifts are intended to become the property of their ﬁnders-al- though my vcry hair-splitting bro- ther wfl not have it so."

“Hear-hear to that!" A second voice boomed. "That's the way to talk, Miss Rlddehaughl Just what I've been trying to din ‘nto Bruce's thick head this afternoon."

Professor Cunningham and Miss Nora. Rlddlehaugh had come so quietly on the absorbed guests, they had not been heard. Now ever3l°11° turned . . . the rosy faced little

scientist and the palld woman we?“

dwarfed behind Rlddchllllh and

the gigantic Guy Pomonby. (Continued on page 8)

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e4, k1; . ,_ 4 ‘u, A’

Q's a"!

= 2

5&1

was“