The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard Page A

mischievously and started humming to herself.
    â€œAre you sure it couldn’t have been her?” Joe questioned Mandie.
    â€œI’m sure,” Mandie answered. “I do have some other ideas about it, though.”
    â€œLike who else could have taken them?”
    Mandie nodded as she tied a red bow on a wreath they had made.
    â€œWho?” Joe asked softly.
    â€œWe can’t talk right now,” Mandie cautioned.
    After all the wreaths were hung, they looked around the first floor of the house, trying to decide where to hang the mistletoe.
    â€œDefinitely one piece over the front door,” Joe said, laughing. “That’ll catch anyone who comes through.”
    â€œPeople won’t look up and see it. Are you going to stand here and tell them it’s there?” Mandie asked, laughing with him.
    â€œWe’ll hang it low enough so they can’t miss it,” Joe answered. “I’ll go find a tack and the hammer.”
    Mandie tied red bows on some of the mistletoe and stuck it around in various places. Then Joe came back with a stepladder and climbed up to fasten the mistletoe over the doorway.
    â€œLet’s do the back door, too,” Mandie said excitedly.
    â€œAll right,” Joe agreed.
    After they decorated the back door, Joe reached out and opened the door to see if it cleared the mistletoe. And suddenly he came face-to-face with a stranger on the porch, who was stomping snow from his feet.
    â€œThis John Shaw’s house?” the stranger asked, brushing snow from his clothes.
    Mandie came and stood beside Joe. “Yes, it is,” she said. “Who are you?”
    â€œI wasn’t sure this was the right house. I’m kinda new in town,” the man said. “I have a message here that came over the telegraph this morning.” He fumbled in his pocket.
    â€œA message? Who is it for?” Joe asked.
    â€œJoe, we need to invite the man inside,” Mandie said, stepping back into the hallway.
    â€œOf course, come on inside,” Joe said. “In fact, come into the kitchen, and we’ll find you something hot to drink.” He led the way through the doorway into the kitchen.
    â€œThank you very kindly,” the man said.
    The warmth from the huge iron cookstove felt good as they slipped through the doorway. All the servants were having their meal at the table by the big fireplace at one end.
    Aunt Lou looked up as they came in. “And who dat what be crazy ’nuff to come out in dis snow?” she teased.
    â€œAunt Lou, he has a message from the telegraph for us,” Mandie explained as the stranger continued to fumble in his many pockets. “Could somebody please give him a hot drink so he can warm up before he has to go back out in this weather?”
    Mandie turned back to the man, who finally found the piece of paper. He handed it to Mandie.
    â€œWhy, this is addressed to me!” she exclaimed, examining the paper.
    Joe crowded close to read over her shoulder, but Mandie was so excited she was moving around too much for him to be able to read anything. Hilda stood nearby, looking confused.
    â€œIt’s from my mother!” Mandie gasped. “Imagine hearing from my mother by the telegraph!”
    â€œWell, stand still and read it,” Joe said impatiently. “What does it say?”
    â€œ ‘Darling daughter,’ ” Mandie read, “ ‘Mr. Wright, our dear friend, has passed on. We will stay until everything is taken care of, but we will all be home in time for Christmas, no matter what the weather. I love you. Mother.’ ”
    Mandie stood there speechless as she squeezed the piece of paper in her hand. Then she started jumping up and down. “I knew it! I knew she would get home in time for Christmas! Oh, I’ve got to tell Grandmother.”
    Joe and Hilda followed as she raced through the hallway, calling loudly for her grandmother.
    She found all the adults