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Show ned o show his strength In the Geld, h skill ,n the corral! How soon his other found she had no boy at all, out two grown men in her household ' And then that sad. sad night when Dave his father, had been brought ome by neighbors who found him in te road. Just at the crossing of the creek, in the lower end of the farm it was. No one ever knew how it happened, hap-pened, but all supposed he had slipped trom his wagon as it lurched on the Prairie trail. t was piled high with wood from the valley; perhaps he had been clambering down to steadv the oad as it lurched, and slipped under he great rear wheel. There was frost In the earth, and a little snow on it she remembered there was still snow on his face when they laid him in the room. . David had stood hv her for two years, but his Infatuation for the Ransom Ran-som girl had been his undoing. They would have nothing of the farm, after that. David could earn big wages in a distant city, working in an automobile factory, where there were no cows to milk and no chores to do after supper S they had gone. She had blessed them what el.se could a mother do? and had settled down to her farm a'hd her memories. For some time glowing letters came hack from David, and from his wife, whom Mrs. Derrit still thought of as The Winding Road Along Which They Brought Him. the Ransom girl. She held no spite, did Mrs. Derrit, but if it hadn't been for the Ransom girl ! Then after a while the letters fell off, until they almost stopped. It was two months now since she had heard from David. Not even a letter for Christmas! Mrs. Derrit arose and went to her window. The moon was now up, Hooding Hood-ing the great shoulders and sides of the valley with light, just as it had done that night when they brought Dave home to her, with the little patch of snow still on his cheek. There was snow tonight, too, just a light sifting of it as there had been then. . . . It would be cold and frozen down by the creek. For a while she had avoided avoid-ed the spot, but afterwards it had a fascination for her. Often, on moonlight moon-light nights, she had walked that far. She wondered if Dave her Dave knew? Perhaps. Who could say that even tonight, this Christmas eve, he was watching, waiting somewhere, wondering if she still remembered? Remember? Aye, for ever and eer! She drew on a shawl. It could not be so very cold, the night was so bright, the moonlight so soft against the edge of the hills. The door creaked as she opened it ; there was frost on the hinges, but her heart was warm; she was going to do her vigil for Dave. Down the winding road she went; the road along which they had brought him home. How warm it was ! Or was it cold? Cold and warmth are so much alike. How the road stretched on and on ! It never had seemed so far. And the moon why was the moon growing dark, when it had not yet reached the zenith? And what made it sway like that? Ah, here was the spot, the very spot. She sat down on the ground. This was where they found him. Her hands touched the snow, but it was not cold. Nothing was cold. All was warm. But the moon had gone out. Why had the moon gone out? . . . Ah, there he was! Dave! She felt his arms about her; she felt his kiss on her lips. There was snow on his cheek ! . . . "Don't you know me. mother? Don't vou know' me?" he was saying, as she opened her eyes. She was in her room, there was no doubt about that. Yes. it was her room; through the open door she could see the cream separator sep-arator in the kitchen. But who was that woman, that Why. It was flu Ransom girl! And what was she carrying? car-rying? She was bringing il. to her; whyWns she bringing it to lor? And David, kneeling beside her bed? "We brought you another little David for ("hiistmas. mother." the Ransom girl VV:IS Riv;,i" 11,1,1 lH'f"re Mrs Derrit knew it a little face was pressed against hers, and sud lenly her Inrd 'iv checks wore wet. "David. David." she cried. "Your Cnmdpa's David!" Big David's hand was in hers. You found me on the road. David?" she asked, afier a wh !e. "Yes." he answcrid. gently. "Just-just "Just-just wiser;1 it happened.'' j Her eves were big and h-ight. "I , knew he would come." she said. "Rat j I didn't know he would br.n; yea , and wee David. and-am! tlx Kamom , girl!" i ,.Y. hero wo are." l!i Ran- :n i d:-l r. ' '::-!- "Tl-.e city Is aJ! ri.ht f r , while, but "hen n man has a ,.e. and a family, it's f:,r:" 1 Yc were keeping it a secret fr-m y-oi, ,, for-jut for Ch.ri:.aas. you j (A 1&-7. Wciuin Nrwtiapr L'alon.) |