1953-12-19 — Page 17

STORY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

The CHRISTMAS

Christine

Greetings

"I

Thiem

CARD MYSTERY

By Peter Graham :

THINK there's bore a design of $30 Christmas' funny candles round the edge, a large

something

about him," said the others, and a little picture tar with one arm longer than

Tony, climbing down from of three tices and what op-

the stepladder. "He isn't the

sort I'd imagine Uncle Fred

to have as a friend.”

peased to be a ruined building.

"That's unusual," he

mured. "Look, kids. Does this pieturo look to you like any- thing on the form?"

"Well, he certainly isn't yes it does," cried Jo.

"I

the life and soul of the could be a drawing of the old party," said Jo, handing her shed and the trees at the bot- brother the end of the next tom of Lang Mendow."

atreamer. "Which is rather

"I T

anured wonder"

their

fathar. "And the 30 candles

yards and the star seems to point South-in that case he'd try tonight.

14

He went over 10 the phone and dialled the pollce station in Milton, Afterwards he told Tony and Jo 10 pretend to go

odd, when you think about might mean 30 feet-or 30 Uncle Fred's other friends."

They were discussing Me Henry Potter who, ut their father's invitation, was sinying with the family for Christmas. Mr Potter had turned up at Greenway Farm three days ago, to bed, but to be ready to get after walking with his small up immediately he knocked on suitense all the

from the the door. nearest

Town M

and had Introduced himself as

as a friend of their Uncle Fred in America. Uncle Fred had told him, he said, "that they sure will give you a real, old fashioned Christ- mas if you call on them."

Highly excited, Jo and Tony went off in bed; and the house became still. They could hear So Mr Potter had been asked the chilming clock downstairs to stay for Christmas, and in the ringing three o'clock when evenings he and the children's there were poft footsteps on the *** father, Mr Robinson, would sit stair, and then silenc; egain.

and uno talk for hours about Five minutes Inter their father America. During the day Mr appeared. "Keep very quim,"

he whispered. for long walks

Together they garden to across the farm, and could often went out into the be seen by the children, as they find three policeman there, and

silently they all made

their

Potter

weni

Long

saw II

played in the loft over the way off towards the bottom of poking around in some corner of

Meadow, about a mile a distant field.

wway.

At one time Jo thought "Have you seen all the Christ- he

shadowy figure cards he's

the hill against gol?" asked silhouetted Tony, gingerly mounting Use ahead of them. ladder again, with the streamer In one hand.

mas

They reached Long Meadow, and one of the polleemer led them quietly to a position be- hind tree from which they could

the ruined shed standing in the moonlight. And there about 30 feet from

the

"Yes," said Jo. "And I'll tell slied, digging quickly at a spot you something. They have all on the ground, and from time this Lo lime looking cautiously

been posted to him in

country. You'd expect them all about him, was Mr Henry

to come from America, wouldn't you?"

Potter. They could hear the soft bump of his spade as he drove it into the earth.

Tony fixed the end of the streamer, and together they The Sergeant, the olher looked at the rows of brightly policeman and Mr Robinson ebloured cards set out along the mantelpiece. Jo picked up one of them, and handed it to Tony.

"Look at this one." She open- 04 the card and read "Hope all very enjoyable. Your other Uncle Fred offered us new dog today. Hope enjoy presents. _Love_and_Cheerlo. Edna."

stole quietly towards the shed from the opposite side.

Suddenly there was a sharp metallic sound as the spade struck something, and 'Mr Pot-' ter let out a smothered CX- clamation. He bent and pulled a square box out of the

hole Into the moonlight. And at this and_the

moment Mr Robinson

out

two policemen jumped "That's strange," sald Tony, from the side of the shed, "He's only been in the country which they had now reached. four days, but someone living There was a quick scuffle, some here writes to him as though mufted shouts, and then Mr

he were

over have art of a family circle

Polter

was being securely held by the policemen. The other policeman ran over, with Tony and Jo following breath- lessly, and peered at the salvaged box. With o sharp

Half

He sat down in the big arm chair, staring at the card and lost in thought. Jo picked up another card and read it.

"Just a minute,"

blow from the spade he knock- said Tony suddenly. "Here's something the

ed off the lock, and pulled back

lid, disclosing a pile peculiar. Look, Jo; 11 you take all the first letters of notes, papers and some objects the words you seem to get a wrapped in cloth.

very

message. 'Hopo all very" en-

joyable', H.A.V.E... HAVE YOU FOUND THE PLACE.

What on earth can that mean?"

BOOTH

d.

"G.S.S.S.P

nover

of

"Let's try this other one,"

"You two were right to be ried Jo, excitedly, "It

says suspicious," he said "to Tony Greetings, Spart! Sally sent and Ja "Do you know what Peter two

Quincas nearly. this 19. It's the proceeds of Hoping see all jolly

uncles the

Bank robbery of Milton Blackle"

two years ago. We caught the .Well, that robber, Bül Jackson, but we make sense," said Tony. nove found the

money. This They sat looking at the sho

he indicated Henry rather

disjointed

message, Polter

must be a friend of racking their brains. Suddenly Jackson, who has just been re- Jo whistled, and jumped up in leased from prison. Jackson

knows that we have

been "It is a message.... Take the watching him to see if he third from last letter of each would lead us to the money. word-The N from greetings, He daren't be

the sten in

excitement,

the O from sport and you get neighbourhood, so he hit on the NO LETTER IS ALL OK"

Iden of planting his accomplice down here to get it for him.

གས་ Those messages on the cardia will be from Jackson,"

"But how." asked Tony and Jo together. "did this know about Uncle Fred America?"

man

in

find out

"This all looks very funny," sald Tony darkly, “I think we'd batter show it to Dad, and see "Quite easy, really," said the what he thinks,"

Sergeant. "He simply made en- Together they ran down to quiries from people who know "their" father's study. As they you, and probably has pals in got there the door opened and America who could Mr Potter walked out, talking the rest of the details.

Thom to their father. He nodded to he just walked up to Groen- the childrum, with a rather ways, introduced himsel

Uncle's friend your

and, un- suspectingly, you invited him what are you two to stay. This sort of criminat no accretive about," goes to a lot of trouble to pro-

falso

andandia, bold"

"Goodnight"

walled off upstairs.

looking

03

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#aid Mr Robinson, And why

into his stukly,

"It was smart of you two to aren't you in bed at this hour?" hit on the mesenges. There will

"Look, Dad," replied

Tony; be a neward for this, which and together they showed their would make a very bly Christ- father what they had dis- mas present for you." covered. At frat Mr Itobinson

་

Well, it looks s though jurt laughed at their findings., you'll be able to have those re may be just a Joke ha two bicycles you wanted for said. But then he paused and Christman, after all," mid Mr looked at the third card which Robinson later, when

the

the children had brought in polleerman had toes Potter with them. This card, obvious- away, and he and the two ly home-mado, contained no children made their way back

And EZYCIA.OR

simply to Greenways serons the moon-. signed BILL. On the front it is felds

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that

is