of pieces came in from those kind ladies of Scranton who are helping me
sew for the brave wounded poilus of my country, valiant France. This
lad brought in a package which Mrs. Ackerman had given into his charge.
I remember I chatted with him quite a while, and was interested in all
he said so respectfully; for it happened I had heard a number of
peculiar things in the way of town gossip concerning him and his aged
grandfather."

She paused as if to recover her breath. Hugh, on his part, had started
as though he might have received a sudden shock. Possibly his thoughts
flew instantly toward one particular boy who happened to have an old
grandfather, and about whom there had always been more or less
mysterious comment in the town.

"After he had gone away, letting himself out at my request, so as to
save Sarah from coming up from the kitchen, I had occasion to pass into
the other room, which also opens into the front hall. Something
impelled me to idly count over some souvenir spoons that I have
personally collected from various parts of the world, and each one of
which has a peculiar value for me far, far beyond its pecuniary worth.

"To my surprise and dismay I found that there were only eleven, when
there should have been twelve. I keep them there on a table so as to
show them to some of my kind lady friends, for I am particularly proud
of my collection, and Sarah had only that morning brightened them all
superbly until they glistened.

"So I called her up and asked her if she could remember counting the
spoons at the time she cleaned them. She assured me solemnly that the
entire twelve were in the open case when she placed them on the table