| Show Santa Mike- Mike cA c Chris Christmas tm as Convict Story t By By- T. T C. C BRIDGES BRIDGESS I S THE TIIE December night closed across the desolate moor A the snow ceased falling tho the clouds 74 broke broko and a brilliant brilliant brilliant bril bril- iII moon shed Its silver light across 1 the wIde wide stretches I t of rolling white white- ness With the change it began r to freeze fiercely coating the sodden e- e a drifts with a crisp fil film of ice t At every y step 1 Mike I k e Dempsey's tired feet broke through this coating and sank deep into soft stuff beneath making the traveling so terribly hard that in spite of the bitter cold perspiration stood in beads on his thin brown face He was breathing hard hara and evidently evidently evidently evi evi- dently desperately weary yet he never never never nev nev- er stopped for a a moment though now and then as he plowed his way onwards onwards onwards on on- wards he would turn his head and cast an apprehensive glance back backover backover over his shoulder Had fIad anyone been near enough to watch him they would easily have understood understood un un- un his haste The drab livery plentifully besprinkled with broad arrows arrows arrows ar ar- ar- ar rows marked him as one of the tho states state's unwilling guests As a matter of fact Mike Dempsey had been for the last three years a prison inmate and it was with the intention of escaping another another another an an- other seven years of unappreciated hospitality that he had a few tew hours previously do done e a bunk under cover cover cover cov cov- er of the sudden snowstorm Ive puzzled thim screws that's wan thing sure he muttered to himself himself himself him him- self and in spite of his fatigue a slight chuckle escaped his thin lips But faith Ive I've puzzled too and I dont don't know where I am no more mor than Adam If It I cud only git a landmark of some sort he went on I cud find my road to too the railway Id I'd win Clear Mike Dempsey wasn't a for years nothing He crunched his slow way across a flat fiat valley ju Jumped ped a little brook and pushed up the steep slope beyond A gleam of light in the next valley attracted his attention It came from a lighted window and there was something comforting to tho the lon lonely y fugitive In tho the red glow cast upon the glittering snow Without hesitation hesitation hesitation tion he started downhill toward it Presently he was cautiously approaching approaching approaching ap ap- a small house which stood in a tiny Iny garden surrounded by a low stone dry-stone wall There was a gate in front but Mike preferred to approach eb 0 0 O I old w 0 1 0 i-c i c 1 lit P Pr Pi r i 0 IF 0 It Was a Man Lying Flat on His F Face from the back and clambering gingerly gingerly gingerly gin gin- gerly over the the- wall crept up to the window from which the light came Raising himself till his head was wason wason wason on a level with the sill he peered through the window into a barely furnished living Jiving room lighted light light- ed by a great fire of glowing turf A couch stood in one corner on which lay a youngish man whose bandaged bandaged bandaged ban ban- head showed him to be the victim of some accident On a chair beside him sat a sweet faced woman wom woman wom- wom an and on tho ho bare earthen floor pl played two children children-a. a haired curly-haired boy of ot about seven soven and a chubby girl girla a a. year or so younger But Dut what arrested Mikes Mike's attention was a a. little fir tree not more than tour four feet teet high which stood planted In an old bucket on tho the table In tho the middle of the room For a moment it puzzled Mike neD han he lie gave a little gasp Beggar if it aint a Christmas tree Why Christmas eve ove 1 do though faith Id I'd lost of or orthe the date In tho the stone jug on the nill But Wheres Where's the as bare as me own pocket he went wenton on wonderingly At that moment the boy got up and going forward to the woman pulled at ather ather ather her dress to attract her attention Mother isn't Santa Claus Glaus coming Hes He's awful late We Ve shant shan't have no tree if he doesn't come soon Its UIt's the snow dearie explained the mother Such a bad storm that I expect he was late in starting But Hut now its it's cleared up I 1 daresay hell he'll be bo here soon Her words were cheery but Mike Alike caught the anxious glance she gave her husband Go uGo out and see If Williams William's insight Insight in insight sight yet Alice said the man He Ho ought to have been hero here an hour ago I only hope nothing has happened to the poor old fellow Mike dropped on hands and knees behind the angle of the wall as the thedoor thedoor thedoor door opened and the woman sto stood d on tho the threshold looking out down the empty valley Somehow the pathos of the bare little little little lit lit- tle Christmas tree and the anxious family appealed to his hardened old soul and when the door closed again I he rose to his feet and instead of following following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing out his first intention and entering entering entering en en- the house to demand food and clothes climbed the wall again and made off oft down the valley If Williams William's coming this way therell there'll be a road of sorts he said to himself And sure Bure enough there was Though covered deep in snow he ho found that there was a path down the valley which he had little doubt would lead eventually to the main road to town He had gone another mile when a adark adark adark dark patch In the snow straight ahead attracted his attention and he caught his breath sharply as he stopped beside beside beside be be- side it For it was a man lying fiat flat on his face and Judging by th the snow which almost covered his body he had been there in the same position for some time Beside him lay a sa sack k also covered with snow Mike gave a sharp glance around The Tho moonlight horizon was still bare He stooped and turned the man manover over Dead he muttered Dead and cold as he laid his hand against the chill cheek For a moment h he stood staring at atthe atthe atthe the dead mans man's face which was that of a ittle old man wizened and nd bearded beard beard- ed and very much of Mikes Mike's own type and build Then like a flash it came to the convict that here at last was his chance and a thrill shot through his weary frame Hell He'll not need thim duds any anymore anymore anymore more he muttered and dropping on his knees in the snow began with trembling fingers to strip the dead deadman deadman deadman man of his clothes They were worn and old but to Mike as precious as broadcloth for once he was rid of his convict garb he had multiplied his chances ot of escape escape escape es es- es- es cape a hundredfold Not till he had completed the whole change chango of costume down to boots and hat and had buried his broad arrows arrows arrows ar ar- ar- ar rows deep in a neighboring drift did Mike bethink himself of oJ the sack He snatched it up eagerly hoping it might contain food and turned the contents out upon the snow A small drum a bag of lead soldiers soldiers soldiers sol sol- diers a cheap doll a box of wax tapers and one of crackers and a couple of packets of sweets Not an article of tho the lot which had cost 25 cents and the value of the whole not five dollars Mike stood and stared at them The box of soldiers had fallen open He stooped and picked up the little painted paint paint- ed figures and replaced them care care- fully So uSo poor auld Santy Claus Glaus Claus he muttered And the children willbe will willbe willbe be waiting on him hard luck Again he bent down and quickly bundled everything back into the sack He Ho laid this by the dead body and turning on his heel walked rapidly away He could not be more than four or five miles from the town now and with his knowledge of railway railway railway rail rail- way matters it would be easy enough to stow stowaway away in a truck and lying under a tarpaulin be bo carried scores of miles away from the hated prison Besides there was money in his trousers pockets Only a little little little lit lit- tle but plenty to buy food tood and drink a clay pipe and a plug of tobacco Mikes Mike's es e's mouth watered as he thought of a square meal He tried to keep his thoughts on the prospect or these almOSt forgotten luxuries yet somehow it was difficult Tho The picture seen through the cottage window kept rising before his mind and though he did his best to thrust it aside the tho effort was unavailing Long years ago Mike had a home of his own a wife and a baby Wife and baby both had died swept away In a wee weed v by an epidemic of diphtheria diphtheria diphtheria theria and that had been the beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning of or the Irish downfall But he had never forgotten them thorn and tonight they seemed strangely near him A sound between a grunt and a groan burst from his lips Ups he stopped and looked back a fool ye yo are Mike l Dempsey he exclaimed aloud Git along wid ye and dont don't be delaying for tor the screws to nan nao ye Again he started forward butmore but butmore more slowly than before and he henad nad not gone a hundred yards before once more more moe he came camo to to a dead stop p U no use he groaned urn Til Just run back an lave thim thira things at the dure Therell There'll be bo time to reach town by midnight The bitter wind was In his face as ashe ho he turned back up the hill but now Mike did not hesitate for a moment Head down he hurried harried onwards and presently was again beside the corpse of Santa Claus Claus' frozen messenger Without a glance at the body ha he snatched up the sack flung it over his shoulder and continued his way uy Uti the valley The glow from the lighted window windo-tf threw its red beam across the snow snow- as he rounded the curve and came within sight of the lonely cottage and anda a corresponding glow warmed Mikes Mike's heart as he thought of the pleasure of the children when they found round their long-delayed long Christmas gifts Seeing no sign of life Ufe he slipped sUpped In at at the front gate and stepping very quietly up the path gained the thedoor thedoor door dropped his sack and giving one sharp tap turned the bolt But he had not counted on the eager children and before hn he could get round o as asS S l z 9 4 R o All Right He Said Sullenly Ill III Come Quiet the angle of the tho house locks curly-locks came flying after him William where is Santy Claus Glaus piped the childish treble It aint William sonny Tell your mammy as Williams William's got lost and I brought the things instead Now Ive I've got to go for tor Im I'm In a mighty hurry I ul expect you are are came a Jeering voice and a uniformed blue man carrying carrying car car- a carbine stepped out from the tho dark shadow round the corner followed fol lowed instantly by a second Mike gave one glance glanco around But Buthe Buthe Buthe he was cornered The wall cut oft off escape All right he said sullenly Ill Til Income come quiet better retorted the warder whose temper long hours in the snow had not Improved Mammy the policemen have took Santy Claus Glaus cried the little lad Mike glanced up The boys boy's mother was standing by her face tace blank with amazement What does this mean mean 7 she cried Is it William 1 Not unless hes he's changed his name since morning missus replied the warden He was Michael Dempsey when he bunked from Moorlands Just after dinner But I dont don't understand Hes He's got William Crokers Croker's clothes on and hes he's brought the things from that William went to fetch The other warder warder warder-a a grizzled elderly elderly elderly elder elder- ly man shook man shook his head I dont don't Youve got me missus know what his little game is no more than you Most 1 like ho he has bas murdered Wllliam William Wll- Wll liam Ham put in the younger warder sour sour- ly lYe He uHe said William was lost mammy mammy mammy mam mam- so hes he's my explained the boy brought the things instead And here tiera they is all safe Best make a clean breast of It Dempsey suggested the elder w warder war war war- r- r der flashed Go and find out yourself the tho old convict Williams down the valley there You take the chap into the house George said the tho older warder Ill go down and see Half Halt an hour later he returned Ive Ivo found William he be said briefly Hes froze to death Dempsey took his clothes but he didn't have no hand band handin bandin in killing him Then in the name of sense what did he come back here for tor instead of skimming out inquired red the younger warder In blank surprise He came to bring our presents presents pres pres- explained curly He told me so Well of all the everlasting fools tools gasped the Junior warder His senior wheeled on him sharply A good thing It there were a few tew more fools of that kind in Moorlands Ay Ay and and outside too He fIe turned to Mike said la laa Come along Dempsey he ho a more kindly tone Ill see as t the he governor Knows how bow it was we come cometo to take you And I 1 reckon your playIng playing playing play play- ing Santy Claus Glaus wont won't do you no harm harmin in his eyes any wore more than It nas in to tomine mine |
