Caught In The Act Hall had been ill; more sick at heart than erdgp _— ons 8 a 4 & and a dull ache at her heart that seemed as though it would never Jeave her. , The trouble was that—young Bill Jones, the cashier in the office where she had been employed. and ‘to whom she had been engaged, ha disappeared, his accounts had been .* ghort and there ‘had been bit a brief word of explanation to Mary for his conduct. It was this brief word which had brought on Mary’s e only message from Bill since nf 2 disappearance had come to her on a postal card on the day after he failed to come to work. It had been mailed from a nearby town and it bore these words in Bill's ae egos handwriting: I've treated sible Was married here today. Forcet: pill Bill.” Of course Mary hadn't believed that Bill was a thief—she did not yet, even these many weeks after ie disappearance when the short- agé still stood unexplained against his record. It was not because of the charge of theft against Bill that her illness ame, it was because of those words on the postcard, “T was mar- ried here today. She had ished him so deeply, de- votedly, vhs There had never been any: man in her bts » Bill. mpacy nine had looked for them too. The little bungalow|! in which they were to have lived was nearing completion and they were just in the midst of happily buying furniture for it when h blow fell. No i ihales there was a_ wistful look in Mary’s eyes, and a droop to her young id ot me an unfading ache in her hew ;? Small w wonder: ae that now, two ; weeks after Bill's disappearance, as ary was getting her ga strength back, there should be deep and abiding curiosity in sae soul. Who was it that Bill married? It was because this curiosity de- manded an immediate answer that Mary, as soon as she was able, went to the neighboring town of Brampton, where the fatal postal card had been mailed and bravelv mounted the steps in the courthouss to the office of the county clerk. “I want to look at the ‘marriage license book, please’ she said to ’ the clerk The clerk, looking at her curious- ly, shoved a big book across the counter to her. Mary covertly referred again to the postal card to make sure she had the right date when was ~- mail £ she 2 pages until the proper date was found and then went over the Asano ‘issued on that day, one by o Whe sore matanntd later, Mary left the courthouse there was a new and new réso- - Her curlositr was satisfied, but in satisfying her curiosity she had found some things that she must do—a task which sne ps put through as quickly as pos- In futherance of this task she did some telephoning to several different people at a public booth. Then, late in the afternoon, she boarded the train for home. In the afternoon she examined her postal card from Bill with new in- terest. She held it. to the light; she viewed it from different angles, all with a new purpose in min At last as she caught the light on the card from a new angle, she gave a little gasp. She had something—something very much worth while. “Mary returned to work the next day. Of covrse there were many ex- prezsions of sympathy from fellow employees and from the execitives for her story nad become known in (Mary had promptly fainted upon receiving “it, and the card had been’ read by the others in the office.) But now Mary ee ‘ the effects of illne< At noon hour wy ‘ate lunch with vy.) woune of her firm friends, Clara o What’ S new at the office, Clara?” Mary asked. “What are they doing/& * about Bill? Who's doins his work.” ey've been trying to trace Bill everywhere, but have'nt cot a single hint where he is.” said Cla re, “Harry Oxby is doing his work.’ Oxby had been Bill's assistant -be- fore Biil's disappearance an} upon returning to the office Mary viewed Harry with great interest. Never be- fore had she paid much attention ta > him but now she looked at him care- fally and Women tally, Sie saw in Oxby a sleek young Mian of not very outstanding charac- teristics, There wag nothing about him that marked his personality. ' He was self-effacing, very evident- ly efficient and not very much in- clined to hob-nob or chat with the eet Per aes. the afternoon Mary was dg eS “Ty thinking of the task the ha set ~ ,- ‘for herself. There was a ciate mm» efinite something she must a that - night, a something which rather so her shiver as she contemplat- little of i = And i to enable her to do ; this aattcue: oomethne that Ma slyly unfastened one of the sot cer eds one o'clock that night be- fore Mary felt the time will, often: save aE ‘smaller Mary: pretty P eauahie: Please-forgive rt seer gla ry, | additional protection. “a ithe office she made her way a been Bill in this desk she wanted to investi- gate. A heavy, handy envelope opener enabled her to pry the drawer open. Greedily she caught up the papers in the drawer.and took them to an inner room, where she cautiously turned on a light. A tremulous sigh! of satisfaction peeieis “I thought so” she Sutlateaed to eraalt. *“T thought so!” But msnich what was that? _ ‘one was stealthily “opening the side door into the office. Mary switched off the light. Fear clutched at her soul. What if she should be discovered? She heard the sound of voices and finally made out that” siete intruders were-a-man and &@ woma She fieard them move 1 the far end of the room, where the vault was located. Peering through the door she saw the flash of a light, then heard the sound of a clicking: The door of the safe was being|® opened. Mary taking all her determina- ‘tion and courage in hand, crept from her opie nee into the larger room and down the darkened aisles toward the little. partitioned space where the huge vault was located. As she came nearer she saw that the door, of the vault was open, She crept to one side and looked into the vault. By a candlelight held in the hand of a man, aie saw tha with his companion, a woma Was opening a drawer at Nhe back of the vault where the firm's money was kept. She heard the tin netly. The woman spoke first. “It sure was Inucky for ou that Jones had to leave so suddenly,” said the woman two talking dis- “Sure was" said the man. “It was a great chance—chance of a lifetime. Trust me to grab it. I’ve been afraid his old mother out West would crozk before this and he'd come back*before I could get enowgh money in this saps to make it worth while to take i fell,”’ sald the woman, with a short laugh. “the stuff you've al- ready taken and D grordi up to Jones isn’t so bad, yo Me “Not so bad, * eala the man. ‘That was a happy thought—forging that postal and sending it to Jones’ girl— that put the final touch of truth to the thing.” wil a rage surged in Mary. She leaped at the vault door, banged it shut and whirled the combination. Some days later, Mary was safe In Bill’s arms, ‘Phat was an outrage forgery,” Bill cried, lo postal which had caused Mary 's much pain. “Harry intercepted the letter sent you telling about my mother's sickness and traced words from the letter onto the _ postal. Later he inked them in. It was just his luck that there were words in the letter which enables him to make the message the postal carried. “Yes and then he got all the other letters you sent mée.and held them out. I fonnd them in his desk the night we arrested him and that girl he was with.” “But I can’t understand,” said Bill, “is how you got started on finding oe 7 truth.’ ough,” Mary smiled. “My cartesity took me to see whom you married. I looked at the mar- riage licenses and I called up the ministers, Ang I found you hadn’t been — at all.’ oh, dearest,”’ she cried, hold- ing him tight In her arms, “I was so sly clever ng at the = SyeeH sialic HORTICULTURAL NOTES + I a2iesenisentesousneceseatt THE ORCHARD AND oer IN NOVEMBE eck dep By November the A will have been picked in most piaces all in Canada and got safely under cover. ter. Before leaving the a it is important to see that the oung trees, especially, are eentecced, from the depredations of mice, and, if possible, from rabbits. Protection is given either by wrapping the trees with building paper or encircling them with a wire mesh, and partial protection, later, by trampinz the snow about the trun While pruning in ‘November Is not recommended, as the most economi- cal or best time, it can be done then without any serious harm if one is not able to do it in the earl¢ spring. The removal of all broken or dead limbs or any rubbish from the orch- ard before winter is desirable. The vegetable garden should be cleared of all old tops or unused veg- etables, which might carry over in- sects or disease, and, if it is most convenient to apply a heavy coat of roftted Manure now, should be dohe, with the object of digging —3 ploughing it under as scon as t ground is fit to work in the epetne In the flower garden, roses will, in most. places, need some protec- tion. Covering the plants with earth just before winte? sets in is one of the most satisfactory. practices giv- ing a broad base in the mound.of soil, so that men roots will heave some few. ever- green boughs thrown over the mound of soil i help hold the snow and give further © protection. 2 roses are best protec by co with a box, which is filled with fs leaves and given A little” f valuable trees bcos to the desk which th “Therewas a ge locked drawer fe came from her as she Sraniiand the said in The trees are now dormant for win- & water-proof cover.} - “taken in | father is!’’ he repeated in ing Lee; atid he added, as the gate, ee aoe. she take me ee a jar of peaches?” alking saleureny along he met| ® an pleas « Bas whom he had not brow .as-he-p n. Do age was setae he but he did not 4 bg pose to be hurried into it Jones or anyone elee. It almost seemed, however, as if ee were a conspiracy against hat afternoon. He presently met a bonne man who respectfully dicen hat. That would have b proper act of courtesy toward a jady or an elderly gentleman; but Mr. Hoyt, not counting himself in either aR haughtily ignored the salute. A few minutes after a kind stranger tried to help him up the steps of a Street car, only to be snubbed for his pains. As he entered the crowd- ed car, a young lady of his acquaint- ance rose to give him her seat, and his vexation in this case was all the greater because he had to force a smile whils declining the offer. So when he left the car at a point about halfway down a hilly street, he was in no mood for any more reminders i] m athietic-looking young man, accom- p by a lady, also young, “A very fine aay. quoth the Nothing could be more innocent than these words! But, un- rbigitaeat fe they were pronounced in a ton fee the normal conver- sational pitch. is a pleasan t day,” said Mr. Hoyt, “worth shouting about.” “Something has gone wrong with the old gentleman,”’ said the young man to his companion, in a toue so low that Mr. Hoyt could not possibly ave heard it if his ears had n been as sharp as even they were. Mr. Hoyt had moved on, but he stopped at the approach of an auto- mobile under alarming circum- stances. A little way up the street a man had left his little son in the car while he stepped into a store. By some accident the car had started am and it was now descending the “top it, Charley!’’ eried young lady to the athletic the young let the responsibility pass to Mr. Hoyt. He, too, had once reer gee Even yet he was capable a feat that required agility and Ete og for he contrived to throw himself on the machine and finally brought it to a still without damage of any kin Naturally he was praised bf the by- standers. ‘“‘Not*many men of half your age could have done that,” was Charley’ s tribute. n of twice my age could have tone: it, if he had his wits about ntact was Mr. Hayt’s somewhat acid reply. Mr. Hoyt was well pleased with himself as he went about his oe matters of business, and ame home toward“night feeling that he had pretty well laid that spectre of advancing is wife met him in “Why, Alfred,” she said, “how pale you look! You have been overdoing, and that won't do at your time of life. Go and lie down before dinner.” It was nonsense, of course; never- theless he went to hie room and seated himself in an easy-chair. “Grampie, may I come in?” called a childish voice . Hoyt frowned. Somehow that wend. "“grampie,” now he thought of it, was unpleasantly suggestive of pity es childhood; Why no hildren to call him “grandpapa?” * ". said eight-year-old Evelyn, as she came into the room, “there's a piece in the evening paper all about your stopping a runaway car with a little boy in it! Here it ie "and she proudly read the head- the hail. «Sensational Rescue by Aged Cit- near: Hoft ares the paper from her. “Aged citizen. Bosh,’’ he ‘said in a voice of wrath. But the next moment he was leaning back in his chair and laughing heartily. “‘It‘s no use,’ he said, “Let them have it their own way.” Then to the little girl. “AIL right, Evelyn. “‘We'll see what is in the paper. I was only laughing ata pretty good joke on grampie. PRINTER WAS Charley Harris, For Texas, a friend of Mr. Nubbiners in the printing business, got slightly meer’ at a letter from a doctor who wanteg bids on several thousand let- terheads, different sizes, different grades. and different colors and wanted the printing form held stand- ne Worth, So Charley soo his typewriter in hand and wro “Am in the market for bids on one operation for appendicitis. One, two or five inch fttcision—with or without-nurse. If appendix is- found to be sound, want quotation to in- cluded putting same back and cancel- d in or an operation for galistones at that time and want to save the extra cost of cutting.’’— BE Kansas City Post. This Makes One ‘Think — healthy men 25 years the following facts _ [sixty-five years of age: nly will be aes by | have 'since I can 8 ing by a white post was an man. But Charley, taken by surprise, in when it came up to him! wh From Insurance J % 2 Experience shows that of 100 ay- trees| erage @ tree, t smiling ; Ethel. “But I'm not spea pee Carr,” st Bg declared. “Not ey~ r again. I've q * You don’t mean,” Ethel e¥claim- ed in excitement, “that you and Em- ily Carr have made upvafter the way oe crowded you off that commit~- Cynthia, still ccurate statement = the: hus eae ” vane admitted. en't ; there’s nothing ts make up. We ane were friends. far as I am ga ahaa’ shé aimapip| }doés not exist.’ “But how—what has made you change?" Ethel asked. _ “I had an attack of common sen se, sudden but acute.” Cynthia stretch- do this morning. Yesterday I actual- ly took the, buli by the sent off that hideous old that has been filling the hall ever remember and the marble topped table that I always detested, but that belonged to Aunt and a raft of odds and ends of dishes that have been cluttering up shelves for 3 years and half a hundred books—- e drew a long brea’ delight. “The house fetls so ceated* se S what in the shee has that to do with@milf Carr “Everything. I’m tolitng to that. First I vowed that hereafter eve noth- ing more than old cawenahark: And when I reached that point the acute attack I mentioned got me. If nia- terial things, why not immaterial? grudges till the first of next Janu- ary, say, when I could just as well be putting them out of the way rfght along? So then I went to work again with broom There is no Emily Carr neta Iam putting”—Cynthie’s eye strayed back to the apple tree—‘blue-birds and a woke glorious June hour in ner, plac Gynthia,” Ethel protested, “‘if you'd ever talk like anybody else!” . But Cynthia only laughed. Sne seemed full of laughter that .morn- ng. Dirty Work at Formosa— A story is told about the Deputy Returning Officers at Formosa in the electoral district of outh Bruce ich in the referendum of 1921 only recorded 1 dry vote, While en- gaged counting up the votes on the 23rd. the ‘D.R.O., after/n calling out a long list of ‘'wets‘’ fin- ally.came to a ballot marked in the dry compartment. Passing over an- other long list of ‘wets’ he came to another “dry.” Stopping and look- ing at those in the booth, he ex- claimed: “Dang it! That sucker must have voted twice!” It is worthy of mention that Formosa oad re- corded four votes for the O. eyes: upon| smiling teasingly, | s consid ered. No, 3. can't. say that that Hetty. | th plebiscite} Not long ago a film wa s shown which was rae aepeibed the "aonatatio. rite of the dwellers on Mount Elgon, in ogre where ant-eating - ular. are trap yeriken, “pots” into whic ve pcb ibe dag piece of ros: near their n tation of falling rain. - the ena the an they Scoop -up with the hands ana eaten alive. Locusts’ up The greatest delicacy an ancient o | Roman could offer a guest was a dish of Cossus grubs, fattened with flour before being prepared for the table. gru What the Coss: b was is*not de- definitely—ikno but many author- ities identify it the grub of the h Priontis beetle, which is still highly esteemed in some parts of the Con- nent. , Locusts still figure in the menu of as we eat shrimps—that is to say, d boiled. The eggs, also, are eaten in the form of soap. The arabs often eat the locust with honey, as did John the Baptist, whilst Algerians cut em open, “stuff” them with rum, and afterwards em, eating e|them with sugar and Burgundy. In Mexico insects are eaten in great quantities. A kind of bread is made from the eggs of the Water oatman, while from a concoction of ants wee from the nests into the) . LISTOWEL, ONTARIO Har THOUGHT 74 Th ey many Eastern. peoples, who eat them |- Tiger beetles and sugar a popular and ney intoxicating liquor is compounded. Still more bighly favored in that country is a beverage made from the Honey-pot Ant. This ant has no sys- tem of combs in which to store its honey, so it punctures the body of its fellow worker and forces its honey ra the victim, which is compelled 0 go on swallowing honey until itiis i filled to bursting point. These ants; distended with honey, are sold to Mexican markets, and all that is necessary to convert them into fine mead is to crush and strain them, and allow the resultant liquor to erment. The termite, or “‘white ant,” forms the basis of various kinds of food in some tropical countries. Pounded in- to a thick paste, these insects taste not unlike almond ‘icing are re- garded as a great delicac In the West Indies the Gru-Gru grub is eaten raw, the recognized me- thod being to hold it by its head and nibble it as one would a_ radish. White residents of the islands, how- ever, prefer it cooked, serving it with citron, or, as a stew, ‘with a specially prepared wine sauce. . Baking the Butterflies The Bugong butterfy is a delicacy which epicures among certain abbrig- inal peoples of Australia will trave long distances to obtain. The butter- flies foregather every year in vast humbers on the slopes of the Bugong Mountains in New South Wales, where they are caught by being suf- focated by the agp kes of wood fires lighted under the t As soon as'a purticiont quantity has been collected, the butterflies are baked in the’embers of the fires. They are then put into wooden ves- sels and crushed into a smooth paste afterwards being made into cakes. Household Hints Keeping Friends One of the most important things in life ie keeping your friends. You have to win friends first, and having won them you have to keep them. _Friendships demand attention, and there , is nothing more binding than the little acts of remembrance that take so little time and mean so much. In a dozen and one ways you may use Greeting Cards to keep friends as a present reality, rather than a past possibility. Even if someone lives across the continent or over great waters, a ‘‘Hello” written on a Greet- ing Card will strengthen the bond of inter- est. The idea of using Greeting Cards lays claim to meeting the need and_ the interest ‘ of men of affairs and charming women en- meshed in the“obligations of social life. See the fine new line of Christmas Greeting’ Cards at The Banner Publishing Co. Listowel Phone 61 ‘Layer Cake Cream one-third cup butter, and beat into two squares of chocolate (two ounces) first shaved and melt- ed over hot water. Stir very thor- oughly together the yolks of four eggs, with three-fourths of a cup of sugar, and then stir the two mixtures e| together. Sift two cups and a half of pastry flour with one teaspoon bak- ing powder, one-half a teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of ground cin- namon and add to the combined egg- yolk stirring in a little at a time and adding milk alternately with the flour when the batter gets too stiff. From pas halt] to three-fourths a-cup of milk should be used. Lastly ‘oat in the bhi stiff-beaten whit: e four, e } use tor "ike filling a boilea ox other frosting. If it can be tinted red, so much the better. Ice with chocolate icing and decorate with red wintergreen candies. Pop Corn Balls Three quarts popped corn, one half cup sugar, one cup molasses, one tablespoon butter,. one-half tea- spoon galt. Pop corn and pick over (discard kernels that -do not pop) and put in large kettle Melt butter in Sauce-pan and add molasses and sugar. Bring to the boiling point and Jet boil until mixture will come brittle when tried in cold water. Pour mixture gradually while stir- ring constantly. over corn which been.sprinkled with salt. Shape in- o balls, using as little pressure as possible. © Honey Drop ©: Honey drop cake “ee S ptueiiacks good. To make them mix together one cupful and a half of strained honey, one-quarter of a pound of shredded citron, ners a pound of finely chopped, blanched almonds, one oye of phe Apple Taffy Put a pound of sugar into an en- }ameled saucepan with two teaspoon- fuls of vinegar and one-half cup of apple juice. Boil the mass until it forms a firm ball when tried in cold water. Then pour it into a but- tered pan, cool slightly and pull. Cut in convenient pieces with shears and place the candy on a very lightly ssadeteacne = plate, Apple Dumplings One pint cee 1% teaspoons bak- ing powder, % up sugar, 1 table- spoon shortening; work these in- gredients together and then moisten with milk, not too moist. Roll- thin and cut into squares. Fill with par- xd apples, sliced very thin, and pinch together. Place in a lo cake tin or baking dish and put pits of butter and cinnamon on top Have ready a sauce ma ter, which has been boiled five min- utes. Pour the sauce around dump- lings before setting them in oven. Bake 20 to six dumplings Red Beans and Rice One pound of red beans beans are good) 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon butter, 1 small minced on- ion, % red sweet pepper, and boiled rice. Soak beans over night or for four hours or more in two full quarts hag!ot water. The beans should be quite soft. Add the salt, butter and on- jon and. pepper, and continue sim- mering for two hours longer. Serve with boiled rice. 25 minutes. Will make|| (kidney | | “Success Leads to Satis f action’’ CARL ROSS Plumbing---Heating---Electricity The success of work in scores of ~~ Homes and Business Places in Listowel is a guarantee that we are in a position to assureyou satisfaction. We will Appreciate Your Order and Will Execute Mt With Promplitude Listowel Black Walnut Custard Pie Two eggs, 1 espoen corn starch, % cup sugar, 1 pint top milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Nut méats of one lb. black walnuts chopped- fine. Beat eggs thoroughy, rm-starch and beat again. a in @ sugar, milk, vanilla and uts last. Line pie dish with pie dough. Pour liquor into = and bake in med to begin with ind add the oven when the. crust is slightly browned, tin turn oven low until custard does not id spite of the way some seek: no “than years rather [| That's the Real Test Performance! You can al- Ways Yell what's in a battery by what you get out of it, Now a Willard battery that we sell will not fall down perform and <. service, ie in such @ test. It's made to