mug Wyatt was relieved rather my; otherwise to find on bar rival ut Horrlngion Manor that house was empty of the fam-

. mg guests. She had expected g find them .all having tea in the wit, and knowing nobody except 1' uncle and aunt. to have to en- dure then and there the round of tmdlICIIOIII neofliry to an ob- ure little person who "knew no-

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-, was shv and nseious of w pQ$IIIOlI as a poor relation. Sh. lived with hei- parents in a gnali villa in a small country town. and her circle of friends were gimple and unpretentious people. r that reason she hated these ' nsionfil visits to Sir Mark and <- Tiltiey, he: rich uncle and Li. _ and would certainly have de- flIIiCiI this one but for the pressure put on her at home. Bhe always tut out ct place at Hortinston moor, the people she met there acre not her sort~ and she was well aware thnt. she looked dowdy beside the other girls and women. ho, the guessed, sco-rnfuliy ap- iscd her two evening frocks. Altogether she felt -this was not pine to he the happy Christmas whit-h nil her friendo had been rhiiilig her. The butler met her in tho hall [hile the chauffeur was carrying in her itiggage. He explained that um whole party was cut on the links, hut would, he returning at my mnmcnt. Meanwhile. no doubt Iifiss Nctiu would like to go to har tuoin and he would have some tea / t up to her. ~ footman appeared. addressed .i the butler as John. shmlidefed er trunk. and bore it upstairs. At e sight of him Netta uttered a ‘tile smothered exclamation. and the almost certainly that her t must have deceived her pra- ented her from calling out to

She had been thinking of Jack orltind in the tram, wondering here he was that Christmas-time, nd whether he still remem‘ ‘ .- They had bten great friends til two years since before her " rents had moved from one town

. other. Poor Jacki lie was the luckiest boy she had ever met. <1 perhaps it was leolllle she ltied him that she had begun to el tor him something more than lendship. He was in a bank whm e first knew him. and something ore than bwo years ago he had atlt- a clerical mistake which had iiended a valuable customer. It

as not his first error and that

ii e Jack had to go. And he had

no-tc Canada. Bile held not ard _ol him since.

She hurried upstairs, and met e man on the landing. hastening iilli the room, where he had limped her luggage. towards the

wants’ staircase. There was no ubt about his position in that uschold. He wore I- clieck waist- at and thin red stripes covered lie scams of his trousers. And ere was no doubt as to who he

M. for Netta gasped and called is name aloud. ,

Jack Moriand laid his finder to

i. lips. afternoon. Miss Nettal" he s. long moment Netti. was

act." she asked suparfiuouaiy. last "what on earth an you

Ing hem?" "You Can see" he said, lightly

enough. "At least, it's honest work. and something I'm able to M. And, by the way. they call me John. Miss Notts."

“Don't call me Miss NORA.“

“In public I suppose I shall call you Madam. I'm not very well trained in the etiquette of my part. This is my first Job of its kind." “Jack, I can't possibly mat you like a. servant."

"In thatoaseoneofuswiiihave to ge and that. one will probably be mo."

“I shall speak to my uncle and aunt about it."

He smiled ainriy.

"l think they'll endorse what I said. They can't have their niece being friendly with their footman. Trent is all ash ioke. Nettie-Miss Netta. I mean.‘ ~

Netta’: heart had been heavy enough before, but now the weight of it burdened her She would feel too miserable a snob ii she treated an old friend Ike a stranger and a servant.

"Aren't you glad to--fo see me again?" she faltered.

"Of course. but. -my position here —don't make it too hard for ma.’ "How did you git-t. on in Canada," she asked gnd added rcprowchfuliy: "You didn't write to me "

“I did once. but. I had no reply". Netta frowned.

"Then I never had it. We left the old address and went to live in l-lonebury and perhaps they for- got ‘to readdrcss your. letter. I'm so sorry, Jack; I'd been thinking hard things of you all the time because you hadn't written."

"And I'd been wondering why you didn't answer People don't. seem to have much use for fail- ures. Well. there's not much news. l couldn't find my feet. in Canada. so l got out while the going was good. I took this lob rather than awe. And that's my history to Neita made a little impulsive

lure.

“Weii" she said, "I shs.n't stop hero unless I can treat you as a friend."

A new light cams into the man's eyes, and for s moment. he chose to forget himself. _

"Dear old Netta" he said. “It's very sweet of you to feel that way about it. You'd better talk to your uncle and aunt. After all, this is their house, and we both owe duties to them. And now I really must go down r.r that butler will bite my head off.‘

So Netti: went to her room. glad fhlt she had met Jack again, glad that he had written to her. and glad that. at least. he was safe and well, but otherwise utterly miser- able and depressed.

By the time tletta went down- stairs her uncle and aunt and their other guests were having tea in the hail. The party numbered twelve cr fourteen. wnd for the most part they seemed happy. informal people ready and anxious to make friends with Natta on sight. Nctta knew only two of ner fellow guests, and for the first time made the u:- quaintsnoe of Mrs. Mtmnlnglay, a abut florid woman much photo- graphed in the society papers for owning one of the finest collections o! Jewellery in the country. There was also a business magnate and his wife a young married couple. twc or three young Army men. an equal number of pretty chattering girls —and Mr. Dennis Dailey.

Mr. Dennis Dolley belonged to a type which Nettn was not quite able to place. He was lust s little different from the others. Netts had no pretentious. and hated her- self for letting \ well-worn phrase occur to her. nut she could not

help it; ‘the mun who was young.

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quite charming ano just above the average in looks, was "not quite a gentleman."

She would not have noticed it if

him with the other men. There was nothing definitely wrong about him save that. everything, clothes, accent, manners were just a. little overdone. She wondered how be had come to be mere. laid heard later in the evening that he was "something in the City" who had been able; to do her uncle a ser- vice by giving him a tip about some shares.

He came and sat next to l8 during tea and did his best to on- tertain her with small talk. and she gathered that he was intend- ed to be her Opposite Number for the duration of the. party. This made matters even wolsc for poor Netta who -'"ir lnstlnctlv and without reason that she di ‘t like him and couldn't like him.

It was not until the dressing- gong had sounded that she had an opportunity of speaking no Lady Tildey pIIVMEiY. She walked up- stairs beside her aunt

“Aunt Helen" she said. "there's something Iougnt to tell you. You've got a footnian here u call John and-he's a very ol friend of mine".

“Good gracious!" laughed Lady Tlldey, "how very awkward. We know of course, that he had seen much better days."

"And he Insists on treating me like a, superior and on my treating him like a servant."

"That. shows his good sense" said Lady Tiidey. "You see. my dear. whatever he may have been. he is a servant now.“

"But I can't. possibly treat him as one."

"Now, look here. Noun. my dear. ‘suppose when yohi uncle was a judge, that you'd come up before him to give evidence? Would you have said that you couldn't treat him like a iudge because he was you uncle It you happen to pass him when there‘; nobody else about there's no harm at all in W111’ speaking to him in a friendly way. But if you did it openly it would be very awkward for him and ail of us, and it would undermine the discipline of all the servants in s few hours. We want. to have as peaceful a Christmas as possible. my dear." '

"Yes" Netta builflfl. "b\ll-—"

"If" interrupted Lady Tildey. with lines hardening around her mouth. "the m: of John's siigserlcixitv 1e going to make any dlffenfioii I0 my party. John will have t0 8° at a moment's notiw".

she had not been able to compare _

11in: CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN

"I "P. IIIIIIUIII to the roots of her hair, and beheld Dennis Dailey in the act of descending, Jack Mor- llnd said something very strong lust under his breath, and got as far from Natta as ens backward Jump would take him. Daiiey, with an air of the deepest innocence. slowly descended the stairs. and wished Nstta good morning. , rle gave the same greeting, but in an- otlur tone, to the footman. who ifslponded blandly, "Good morning,

r " .

“Gould I have a word with you?" said Dailey l-n .Netta's ear.

"If you wish." aha answered cold. l7. and walked with him into a morning room.

"Well?" aha said, after having given him a chance to speak first.

"O! course." he muttered, “what I saw just how ia no business of mine. hut-J’

“But what?"

‘l was wondering what Bir Mart and Lady Tiidey would say if they knew."

"Well." said Netta coldly. "they won't know unless you tell them",

"oh. 1 IMIVI tall them.’ he ex- poatuiated. "I'm glad you can t.'u|t' me. Miss Wyatt. ‘mat’: why 1 want-| ed to spelk to you -to assure you that I shouldn't say a word."

“It's very good of you." Netta faced him squarely. "I don't. admit that you're entitled to any explan- ations. but you may as well knowi that the man you saw me talking to is an old friend of mine. He is a servant now because he is down on his luck, but he remains an old friend." |

“I see." Dailey bit his underlip. "Funny job for an old friend of yours to take. Couldn't ho ind anything better?" not particularly interesting at the time to Netta.

Captain Anthrum, it seemed, had won a fiver off Dalley, who bed offered to wager that amount that Signcgrinetta had won the Derby in I910. Captain Anthrum said l9- 09. and the bet having been mude. Dal-iey had gone up to his room to fetch a Burt's Guide.’ While reaching for is he had slipped and put his hands in the coal-scuttle, which had necessitated much wash- ing cf hands and a change of shirt.

"Apparently not. He hasn't youri financial genius, Mr Dolley."

"All tho same it's s. little! queer. isn't it. to find an cducat-j ed man playing the part of fost- man where- well, where there's a certain amount of jewellery. shall 1 we say?"

Netta felt her colour rise,

"Mr. Daiiey," she sold, “I don't want to call you a cad. It would be more comfortable for all e_f uafl

i

if you apologized.

H‘; hesitated.

"All right." he said, "I'll apolo- gise, and I hope you'll never re- gret having made me. And as for what I ssw—"

“Thank you," said Netta turning! away. "I already have your as- surance. but you may please your- self." ‘ I

The day was occupied mostly in Christmas shopping in the near- est big town, Netta managed .0 es- cape Bailey, and went over in the car driven by g certain Oaiptsin Anthrum. together with a subal-

That was the ultimatum which Netta had feared. She had thought of returning home which would leave the party with an odd num- ber. but now she knew that if she did, John would be sent off too for having caused more trouble than he was worth. What could who dc| but accept the situation?

At dinner that night Mrs. Mun- ning wore e. diamond necklace valued at eight thousands pounds Netta sat silent and miserable next to Dennis Dsiley, who had taken her in to dinner, and John assisted the butler and another footman to w-nlt at table.

Next morning Netta was up early. Bhe came downstairs to f-nd Jack Moirland at work in the hall. in g blue tunic that buttoned up to his throat.

"Good morning, Jacki" she call- ed out.

He answered her gravely.

"Good morning. Miss Neils.”

Netta jumped the last two steps.

"Jack, don't be an idiot! I told my aunt about it iaat night, and she said that there was no harm in our being friends when there when there was nobody else about. She knew all along, of course, that you weren't an ordinary feotman."

Jack grinned.

"She might have seen that by the way I spilled tho soup last night. Well. Neils, off parade-off parade, I suppose. Having s good time?"

"Wretchedl"

"why,"

"Bet-snag t m! III aadag pea liki- this."

"Don't you worry about me - I shah‘: stay being a footman all the time." _

"Of course you won't. You'll hear of some job-J’

"I hope to rise some day to being a butler,"

She stared hard at him, laughed. and stamped her foot.

"Jacl, you are positively hate- fuii If I were beastly to you you'd deserve it!" ,

Bite had planted herself in the Yniddie of the aoulm hall. It ml the morning of Ohristmas Ive. and the hall was already decorated Over Nana's head dangled a bunch of mistletoe.

"Jack." she said, with mischief in her eyes "don't you see where I'm standing?"

"Yea." he said. laughing. “and I ahsil want that rug in a minute." “Jack, if you'd found me stand- ing here two years ago you wouldn't --you wouldn't have talked about

tern in the latter’: regiment, and another girl.

At dinner that night Mrs. Mann- ingiey had discarded her diamonds and wore pearls around her throat,‘ and it was after dinner that Netta met with her small adventure,

The men were a long time in the dining-room before joining the} ladies and the explanation‘ given amidst much laughter, was Dailey humorously remsrked\ thati it was not his lucky evening.

Coffee came round a few min- utes later. and as Jack Mariand brought the tray round to Netto he slipped a note into _her hand.’ She opened ‘rt and read it \ little later under cover of a magazine. This Is whet she read:-

"Importanti Will you do ma a» great service? I am on duty and can't go; pway. Slip out presently into the garden on the south side, and about halfway along the yztass border of the flower beds next to the house you'll find a pot of tar, Please throw it into the shrubbery or hide It somewhere.

Netta stared and swallowed. she had not the least idea what this could mean. but she trusted Jack sufficiently te obey him blindly- After a few minutes rho raid something about taking a breath of fresh air, put on a wrap, and passed through the French win-' dows.

sh. found the pot of tar with- out difficulty --indeed her foot struck against lt-carriod it to a ahrubbery, and then returned al- most unnoticed to the house A~ few minutes later Mrs. Msnning-' icy made s discovery.

"Why, my‘dear," the said to Natl-a. "how did yon get that on your hands? Why It‘: -isn't it tar?"

l O O I

The robbery was not discovered until after nine o'clock on tho fol- lowing morning. Mrs. Msnningiey had gone to bed tired. and had not

til next morning that she made tho discovery -her eight thousand pounds necklace was missing.

immediately the house ivaa in a ferment. Everybody. heat, hostess,

frightened and utterly distressed- Thc police wara telephoned for

Guests-and servants alike clamnur-I ed to be searched.

An Inspector and two constables arrived within an hour. They quas- tioned Mrs. Manningley closely and examined her room. She had

Hill." . “Two years age." he said, "I wasn't a foetman: but. of ~our|e. if you will stand there, you Iittlei mocking horror-J I As be spoke. he qn-ang towards liar and next moment the was roundly and noisily kissed. "There!" he said. your fault. my dear!" . A faint cough waLaudible at the lead 0f ma looks

st dinner. that being the time for such things to happen. I

"that was m

kept har door locked all the while.‘ and the thief had evidently swarm-

forcsd tile window ettch. It seein- ed meat likely that the ‘robbery occurred while fhe guests were usual

queer feature of the ease was the rail ef the balcony was d with tar. Nobody could

A It

dauba agent for the tar. which was new

, or a» new long it had been

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opened the jewel box in which she ihcre. Mrs. Manningiey had kept her diamonds. It was not un-inoticed It before.

guests, and servants were haif~

no!

, The inspector's next business- like move was to call all the gin-sis and servant’ together in tho hail.

"New." ha said, "isdiea and gentlemen. you all know what's happened. I'd be obliged if you'd all take it quietly and think cars- fully of the events of last night. and if anybody can tell me of anything likely to be useful. any suspicious ciroumltan "

Daiiey stepped forward at inca.

"I can." ha said.

“Well air?"

Dallay hesitated.

“I'd rather spoilt to you private-

‘ed on to the balcony outside and ly, What I have te say may be ex-

tremely painful to Bir Mark and Indy Tildey."

There was g moment's all-eure- Then Lady Tiidey acted most sur- prislngly.

"We would rather. Mr. Dallay." tho said, "that you didn't spare our feelings. Speak out. please, and tell the inspector fN-nkiy what you've got to say.”

Daiicy moistened his lips,

“l IIHPIISIIPG to fI-itd out yester- day that one of the footmen-ihai. mun there- is a mun of education and an old friend of-of Miss Wyatt."

"That is perfectly trite." Lid)’ ‘Iiidey agreed. "We were well n- ware of that."

“Last night Miu Wyatt went out Into tho grounds after dinner and came back with tar on her hands. There was. I believe tar found on the balcony railing ."

Netta felt. a shrinking, sick u-n- sailon and knew that aha had turn- ed white.

"'I'hai’a perfectly true." she said.

"May I ask how that happen- ed?" the Inspector inquired

"I found a pot of tar on the grass border under the bilvony outside Mrs. Manningicy/‘s room." "What did you do with Ii. please?"

"I threw it intc the ahrubbery."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I told her to."

It was Jack Moriand who had spoken. Ha came forward new.

4a

“Why did you ask Miss Wyatt in hide that poi. of tar?"

"My explanation ls rather long and involved. I would rather ans- wer any other questions first."

"Can you lhrowmny light this affair."

Jack Moi-land laughed.

"All the light you'll went. In- spector. I know where the dinni- onds are. I knew all along, but I've been waiting fer you to come. They're under a flower-pot to the cucumber frame nearest. the house."

Thei-o was a swelling murmur from ail around. Bailey's face was now gh-astiy,

"You put them them-you anal"

"No, no, my friend. I'll explain who put them there. for I slW him tic lt. It's the rnsn whose fin- gc-r-pri-nts in tar will be found on the kills of the cucumber frame. and I shouldn't be surprised if than m copies of those same prints at the Yard. flora. hold that mani"

on

0i‘

Then was a sudden commotion

as Daiiey tried to break away. I brief struggle, and tho llilpplnl of handcuffs.

_ O O I

This was Jzttik Morland'l story as Nciia heard it from nla own lips,