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(Copyright.) L UK ttpirjt of ('hrliit UIUH VVHH ovory< where. Iii the great house on the hill, lirldgot, tbo con K, emboldened by that aplrlt, hud comis up from her domain and stood In the doorway of the drawing room with" ono largo, rod hand extended. "I , whh nfther Jlndln* thin In tho turkey, mum," alio ?ald. "It might and It might not bo anything." The family, busy on ladders and ohatrs, with Christmas greens, turned questioning eyes on Bridget. "What Is It, Bridget?" Mrs. Btono humored the cook. "A hit of purple glass with some pictures on It, mum " Bridget haying done her duty returned to her realms below. "What Is it, mater?" Godfrey Htone asked lastly. After a moment of close inspection, by the window, Mrs. Stone spoke in tones of excitement. "It Is a rare amethyst with an Ini tial engraved on it!" "I scent a mystery!" laughed hoi ?on, rising to inspect the stone. ''The Initial is E, Does your butcher hap pen to ? ? T" "Oh, mamma, Is this the turkey you got from the farm I told you of?" chimed In the eldest daughter, "be cause If It Is? we could easily truce the owner of the stone. Godfrey can run over today-' " "Not on your life! Christmas Eve is not the day to chase around all the turkey farms in the village." Ills sister's eye twinkled- "You would be out of tho house by this Like a Fairy Picture. klaie If you had Just seen the ? turkey flrl.M . "Pretty?" Godfrey's tone was in different. "So much ho that 1 had fairly to drag Jim away When I took him with ?? to select our turkey." N "Perhaps," Godfrey tWgested, j ?eekly, "it would mnke the\^ girl's Ckrlstman more happy if the Trtono kappened to he hers and was return- ; *4 to her." "Tour Christmas spirit ia very com mendable," Mary put In dryly. * Godfrey laughed and took the stone from hl? mother "Where Is this tur key farm, Sis?" "On the old farm road ?you can't Mlee It." Nor did Godtre> initio the little faini : tkat stood like, a fairy picture among ' ffrores of flr trees. The tiny cottage j mad outbuildings were of pure white aad with their heavy thatch of snow tkere among the crystal hung branches of giant fir trees that were wonderful. Godfrey felt like a tres- 1 passer In the realm of fairies. The Impression was not withdrawn when the door of the cottage swun^r open. The Fairy Queen s'.x-tl there but the nas not the sprite-1'..i- \ ision ot dreams; instead, she was (!:?> t :nlx..l. ment of life and thrills suit] jn\ 1 frey was decidedly disconc \. i:. bi. tho girl's smile, together with her words, drew him within tho tiny cot tage. Outside all was white; Inside all was suffused hy the red glow from an opeu Are. The girl's gentle voice broke God frey's very evident confusion. "Did you want to inquire about tur keys!" She motioned him to the bij? W* chair by the tin- In so doing rJ?dfrey csuchf ?i:;h* of her l?ft hand I On her engagem* n j ring iu which a yaw ??)>:. *n> ;i;>. j ed tho Iohh of a Molting. "No," .ha aald finally, "I hftv : brought thla!" Ha held un the anv ! thyat and watchad the glrl'a foca, / , great light leapt Into her eye*. "Hort, .perfectly wonderful!" ex j claimed Vjleanor Deane. "Hut tell him ? where did you find It and how?" n< i question* tumbled from smiling lip*. "la tha crop of e turkey," Godfrey j Informed her. Then deaplto hi* better Judgment he added, "The bird wnH j rather inconsiderate -to mwhIIow your engagement ring- thinking It wan corn." He attempted to laugh. A quick color crimsoned Eleanor'* cheakw. "Art engagement ring In ul ! ways very preciou*," ahe put In hur riedly, "I thank you for returning mine." Her confusion over, Kleanor mentioned her occupation. "Tou aei; I have entire charge of my turkeys and It must have been in tho mixing of their food that my amethyut drop ped out. I mli It alwaya with my bandit. I hope the turkey Mm. " Hho panned In confusion. "Mrs. Htpne? my tnother." Godfrey helped her out. Then becauae there seemed nothing moro to aay and be cauae he seemed atrangely depressed, Godfrey made his departure. "Well!" demanded Mary Stone when her brother again aat by hla own Are. "Ian't she lovely, and did you no ilea that aad look In her eyes? I heard In the village that tho reason she took to raising turkeya Is becauso sho was engaged td some skate of a man ? -H "Mary! What language!" expostu lated her mother, "Waa?" Godfrey tried to keep the tone of hla voice normal. "The ame thyat waa tho setting from her en gagement ring? aha must be still en gaged T" Unaware of the tension with which her brother awaited her answer, Mary said lightly, "Well? maybe ahe still i?? but the story in tha* village la that she broke off with him." During dinner Godfrey remarked casually: "Mother? do you think Dad has done enough for his factory hands thla Christmas? Wouldn't It be rath er a good idea to aend a basket to each of the families?" Mrs. Stono, rejoicing that the philan thropic spirit was being made mani fest in her son, smiled happily. "It would be lovely, dear? I will Just send Perkins over to that very little farm and "No, no ? Perkins knows nothing about turkeys!" Godfrey said without glancing In his tilster'8 direction. "I will go over tomorrow for some birds for tho New'Year." "Christmas Is not the day to chaso around ull the turkey farms in the vll 1'iKe," quoted Mary. Christmas day was crisp and spar kling when Godfrey again approached tho tiny farm. Tho fairy queen open ed- tho door and a tinge of color came Bwiftly to her cheeks when she recog nized her visitor. Godfrey, using till his common sense, first mentioned tho factory hands and the turkeys that he want ed for them. "You know," lOlearior told him, "that tho birds have to bo taken away when they are living ? I can't bear to have It otherwise. I seem to love every bird." Sho looked appeallngly up at ; Godfrey and laughed tremulously. "I havo a good weep after each gobbler's departure." Godfrey turned swiftly away, then Impatiently back. "Why do you " Eleanor smiled wistfully and a little slow shrug crept over her shoulders. ; "If you care to hear why ? I will tell you," she said. "I care? -very much," Godfrey re turned, and kept the tenderness out | nf hts voice. ---- - . ! "It was essential ? that I do some 't thing," sho said. "I have been an or j phan for many, many years and for j almost as many years I have been en gaged to a Mr. James Vane. Jimmy and I grew up together and have been , sweethearts always. I never saved ; any money ? becauso Jimmy always | had plenty and It hadn't occurred to | me that I would ever want ? with ! him." * j Sho paused and Godfrey remained ; silent, longing Tor. yet fearful of, the finish of her story. "Well ? Jimmy wi\b one of the idle ! rich and In looking for a pastime tool* I to gambling. Tie has been gambling j ever Blnce." ' Godfrey turned his eyes from the sorrow In Eleanor's face; then ho spoke aloud the words hln heart was asking: "l)o you ? love him ? now?" "Yes. 1 love Jimmy and nlways will love him -but not " She found It Impossible to go on with Godfrey's eyes llxed In bo disturbing a way ' upon' her. "Nnl how?" he demanded. "As a husband " Eleanor replied faintly. "Then why wear his ring!" Godfrey ngain demanded. "I told Jimmy, when ho asked me to. that i would wear it out of sent! mont until " Eleanor knew she would hnvr to finish her sentence, sc she hurriedly did what his eyes nskod. "until ? I loved some one bettor than j I loved him." "Well." Godfrej decided slowly, j ? you wc * i " t mind so much now that i the setting is out ? will you?" "It is r::\ birth-stone and it moans ? I e .'i:t ." Eleanor returned de murely Godfrt / laughed happily and Elea nor Joined hlru. The Christmas chime ! In- two voices thrilled through ih > tiny collage "I am r\( peace for the :-?t t!me : in my life," Godfrey iiaid softv "And it is all because it Is Christmas and i my mother bought a turkey that had j swallowe a a ^"..u-lhyBl that bch.::svO | to YOU " CH..ioli,., 3 >ANCE W a preparing for Christina* -mo, <iood* noun known I wjttht I wa?, but Cfcr)?t{n*fl do iogtt ain't for ir.e no m om. And Ju?r, be cause I wuh a baking aomethlng to cat to morrow, which hap^ p?un to b?. Chrltt >i)uh, ?he thought I wav pro paring for that day a ?peqiul." > ) Witty Creeii sighed an ?h<* placed I ho pit) tu the oven, and pulled a kitchen chair up beHldo the stove, The new neighbor, who hud hut re cently moved into the town, and who knew nothing of Hetty's history, had i lint left. With the Christmas spirit everywhere she hud thought of couth* Hetty wax preparing a feast for the duy. "Now, If Jim hadn't never galled away on that water logged old Mary Ann, an he did a-going on four year ago, I gueue I could a beeu preparing for Christmas like other folk*. If there hudn't beeu nobody elite, Jim and me could of enjoyed Christmas, and then maybe there'd a beeu some body else? somebody what Just about now would a been liking dolls or tin cars, and If so Jim und me would a been having a Christmas tree for that somcbo dy, and we'd be a having the beat Christ mas in all South Cove. "My, how I did try to keep Jim from Bailing la that Mary Ann. A n y ? i body what knew any thing about , ?hips knew she wasn't flt to go .to sea in, but Jim says it's the only berth he's likely to get, and tak ing it would our marrying just that much sooner, and the Mary Ann or Jim ain't never been heard of since she left that South America place to go round the Horn on her way to China." The bright eyes of Betty Green were wet with tears as she opened the oven door to ralBe the pie to a higher shelf. Ever since Jim Busby tailed to return In time for the wed ding which Betty had bo carefully prepared for four years ago ? a wed ding which was to bo tho b^g event of the Christinas season at South Cove ? she had had a lonesome life. Two months after tho Christmas that was to have been Betty's wed ding day her aged father had been carried to the village cemetery, leav' ing her alone in the world. With no other relatives, and with no friends except those at South Cove Betty re- : nialned in the llttlo Ashing town in , which she had been born nearly twen ty-seven years ago. With the baking finished, Betty left tho kitchen and wont into her bed- ' room. She wanted nothing so much as to be alone in that room that had been her father's ? In that room where she kept carefully preserved the wed- ; ling clothes she had lavished so much care upon four years ago. These clothes and the faded photograph of Jim Busby on her bureau were all that were left her of her romance, i With these she would spend her Christmas eve, would live over again the courting days. And Jim should be there with her. That would bo her Christmas. With care she took each garment from its wrappings in tho bureau drawer and spread them on the bed. The pretty wedding dress which Sarah Glover had helped her make ? yes, sho would put It on tonight just as she had planned to four years ago. Jim would like her to do that; he had always liked to. see her prettily dressed, and maybo Jim might see her from the spirit world tonight. As sho fastened tho gown she al most forgot that Jim could not be \ (here, that it waH all ! a make-believe. As j ehe stood before the ? mirror the smile of \ four years ago came i buck again. She noted j the color in her j checks; it waa like a bridal blush. A rap at thfc door . dispelled the illusion she had permitted her- ' self for a few mo ments. Sho could not ; go to the door in that dress. The. caller i would have to wait, but ; ho did not wait. She hoard the door swing, a heavy stop on the floor, and a voice ? oh! such a familiar voice ? calling Hetty. ".Ihn! My Jim!" she answered, as she pulled open the door of her bed room and sprang into the arms cf a strong, bronzed sail jr. Par into the night sho listened to .1 1 m'n talo of shipwreck on tho Pata gonlnn coast, of the months and years of practical captivity before he could set back to a seaport. "And now," ho said, "1 am home to claim my Christmas bride." "And I have our Christmas baking : dope." said Hetty. ?] V T5! VH7 A. PATTHRSON, j The Christmas Dinner Should be Selected With The Utmost Care We have everything that you could pos sibly desire in the line of meats Turkeys Chickens Sausage Veal . . * . Beef . . Pork . .Lamb Mutton Phone us before placing your Order CAMPBELL BROTHERS ? Phones 24 and' 162 For a Christmas Gift See our new line of "WEAR-EVER" Alu minum Cooking Utensils. Nothing nicer for a Christmas present than a piece of this handsome serviceable ware. C[f Give us a call and we will help you?out in your Christmas shopping. With the . ? seasons heartiest greeting, respectfully yours, .*. .*. .*. BURNS & BARRET