ems to me that I come across one of His 'islands' nearly every
day." As he spoke, Macklin came running up on the porch, stamping the
snow from his feet, and burst into the house, his cheeks as red as
winter apples.

"Here's a letter for you, Alec!" he cried. "Where's my hammer, Flip?
I want to crack some of those nuts we gathered on purpose for
to-day."

She brought him the hammer, and he hurried away. Alec was turning the
dainty blue envelope over in his hands.

The address was written in the same hand as the card which had come
nearly a year ago with the Christian Endeavour roses. He tore open
the envelope, glanced at the monogram, then down the page, and turned
to Philippa with a long-drawn whistle. "I wish you'd listen to this!"
he exclaimed.

"DEAR MR. STOKER:--I am writing this in the hope that it
will reach you on Thanksgiving Day. You have suffered so
much on account of that miserable gold piece of mine, it
is only fair that you should have this explanation at once.

"This afternoon Miss Cornish and I went to the church to
practise a new song that I am to sing at the Thanksgiving
service. She was to play my accompaniments. The side door
of the church was open, for the florist was decorating the
altar, so we did not need to use the minister's latch-key,
which we had borrowed for the occasion. We practised for
some time, and then sat and talked until it was almost dark.
When we started home, we found to our dismay that the
janitor, thinking we had gone, had double-locked the door
for the night with his big key. Our little latch-key was then
of no use.

"We called and pounded until we were desperate. I had an
engagement for dinner, and could not afford to lose any time.
Finally we went into the prayer-meeting room, and found that
we could open one of the panes in the great stained-glass
window at the side. Miss Cornish climbed up on one of those
old pulpit chairs that the officers use, and said that if she
could lean out through the pane, she would call to the first
one who passed, and ask him to bring the janitor to our
release.

"But some way, in climbing, Miss Cornish caught her high heel
in the plush with which the seat is upholstered. The goods is
frayed and old. The chair tipped, and they both came to the
floor with a bang. Just as I sprang to catch her, something
bright and round ro