EVEN NUMBERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 143, 18 June 1940, Page 15

EVEN NUMBERS

Short Story

jTVEKY Christmas Sir Charles Gaunt gave a party to the children of the village. In the thickening twilight of Christmas Eve a long straggling line of children and parents wended its way up the twisting drive to Brandon Towers, a darkturreted mass set like a brooch against the darkling snow. This year Luke Mogson, the village joiner, was to be Father Christmas. Sir Charles issued a red gown with cowl attached, and a huge white beard. Luke was to carry a sack crammed with presents. Sir Charles received him in the library just <16 the children were finishing their tea in the dining room across the hall. "Get into your things as soon as you can, Mogson," the ruddy-faced, kindly old knight said. "Here's ten shillings for you, and there's as much beer in the kitchen as you choose to drink—afterwards. The presents are all in the sack. Call the name written on the labels clearly, and the children will come forward for their gifts." "Very good, sir!" Mogson nodded, touching an imaginary forelock and silently crowing to himself. Father Christinas, indeed! The next moment he was alone. He glanced round the luxurious room, softly lighted by shaded candles and the soft glow from the log fire in the huge canopied fireplace. He had always envied Sir Cliarles. Soon some of the old man's wealth would be transferred—to himself ! But he had not a moment to waste. He crossed to the panelled wall, and, counting six paces from the far corner, felt carefully for the concealed spring. A small cavity yawned. Peering in his little eyes gleamed. A satin-lined black case containing a diamond tiepin and an exquisite pearl necklace wag revealed. Quickly he took the jewellery out. . . . Three minutes, later he was clad in his scarlet robes, the long white beard reaching almost to his waist. In the soft light he looked what he was supposed to be: a kindly lovable Father Christmas, the spirit of childish romance and happiness. "Are you ready?" Sir Charles asked from the doorway. He had just been across to make quite sure that the children had finished their meal and were expectantly waiting the guest of the evening. Mogson nodded. They left the room and went round to a door at the end of the corridor. "The paper chimney is built at the other side of the door," Sir Charles said, and, noiselessly turning the handle, he pushed Mogson in. Everything went off beautifully. Amidst a thrill of suppressed excitement the bearded face of Father Christmas broke through the paper fireplace built specially in the corner of the room. "Good evening, children!" Father Christmas said, easing the sack from his shoulders:. "My, but it's much warmer here than in Lapland!" 1 He looked round. Fifty round-eyed children rtared' hack at Mm./Ono little tot clutched her mothcr'» hand, half in fear, half in delight. Another chuckled in anticipation of the present she would soon be receiving. Father Christmas reached for a parcel, He stamped up and down the room, beating bis arms about his body to restore the circulation, standing with his beard over the Are "to thaw the icicles," telling the children how his reindeer were waiting on the roof for his return. Then he went to the large sack and emptied a thrilling heap of paperwrapped parcels on the floor. For the first time the children completely forgot the chocolates and spangles on the Christmas tree in the corner.

Father Christmas reached for sparcel. "Marjorio Brown!" he saicl, and a little girl was pushed from the front row to advance and timidly shake his hand. A moment later she wa« happily carrying a brown paper parcel Ixick to her seat on the front row.

-¥■ By Joan Marsh

"Frank Benton!" Father Christmas called, and so it went, on ntil all the parcels had been distributed. Before he went back into his paper chimney, the bearded figure looked round the happy room. Ilis eyes jrleained with satisfaction seeing a timid little girl sitting quietly in the corner, her present unopened. Sir Charles was sitting in the library. His face was troubled. As Luke Mogson took off his beard, he said quietly: "Mogson, I have something unpleasant to say to you !" Luke jrlaneed up, his eyes surprised, though his heart wad thumping painfully against his ribs. "I came in here for my wife's Christmas present, and 1 find that it has disappeared from the safe," the old man said sternly. "It was there—along with a diamond pin—a few minutes before yon arrived, Mogson!" Luke's eyes were indignant. "But—but, you don't think I've taken them, sir, surely!" "What else can I think? You are the only person but myself who has been in this room since tea. The windows are locked and the chimney is too narrow to be climbed down. And you knew where the secret panel was because you were one of the workmen sent to put it in!" Luke took off the red cowl and gown and resolutely walked up to Sir Charles. "I can see that you suspect me, sir!" he said coldly. "I would like to be searched, so that I can be cleared of suspicion." Sir Charles hesitated for a moment, then turned to the door. "Very well!" he said, and admitted the butler and footman. "Search him!" he ordered, and they set to work. , But no sign of the missing jewellery was found. Sir Charles frowned. "If you took the pin and necklace, they must be somewhere about you!" he exclaimed. "You have been under continual observation ever since you left this room. And nobody else could have got into the library without my seeing them." But Luke did not deign to reply, only looked meaningly at the door. Sir Charles was obliged to let him go. Little Sarah Mogson was chatting happily to ]jer mother as thev entered the cottage after the party. "Give me your present!" Luke cried before his daughter had even removed her thin little coat. Sarah glanced at her mother, fear in her eyes, then handed a brown paper parcel to her father. Luke took it and his heart stood still. But but tiiis isn't the one I <»ave you!" he said in a strangled voice" Sarah avoided his eyes. J I know it isn t, Dad!"' she murmured. "But—" Her voice trembled and stout motherly Mrs. Mogson took up the tale. \\ lien you d given out the presents, Luke, and gone out of the room, Johnny Smith cried out that he'd got a doll by mistake, she said. "Lady Gaunt came up and shw that Sarah "hadn't opened lier parcel. So, knowing they was bricks, she suggested that Johnny handed over the doll to Sarah; Sarah -was scared you d think she'd, disobeyed l>y unwrapping the parcel, so she tied this doll up as you see it now!" Seeing her husband's wide-eyed dismay, she cried: "You'll look more surprised than ever in a minute! You see, when Johnny Smith opened his box of bricks, do you know what he found? A necklace artd o diamond pin!" >Luke Mogson hardly heard his wife. He was looking fearfully at the door. Surely, in a moment or two, the police would arrive. He felt Sarah's warm little hand slipped into his. "Daddy, as we came away, Sir Charles stopped me," she whispered. "He said I'd to say you'd made a lovely Father Christmas and that Christmas was a time of peace and goodwill. I wonder what he meant by the last bit, Daddy!" "I wonder!" Luke Mogson muttered, and. suddenly his eyes were full of a new understanding