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Show t..x rtf tr T. if V TlfE W E E K I. Y RE FlTXt K AY S YU JLE. iTJk Beggor, tree' Santa Mik-ecA Christmas Convict Story By T. C. BRIDGES S JITX AVlll THE December Why. if n ain't a Christmas tis Ccristmas eve do fun 1 be ave, though, faith. I d lost theack cd dure. There'll be time to reach the date in the ould stone on the town bv jug midnight" hllL But wheies the The bitter wind was In hi face as pnsints Tig as bare as me own pocket, be went he turned back up the hill, but now cm wondennglj. Mike did not nesitate for a moment At that momtnt the boy got up, and Head down, he hurried onwards, and going forward to the woman, pulled at presently was again beside the corpse her dress to attract her attention of anta Claus' frozen messenger Mother, isn t Santa Claus coming? Without a glance at 'the bodv he He awful late We shau t time no snatched up the sack, flung it over his Kismas tree if ne doesn t come soon shoulder and continued his way up ' its the snow, dearie, explained the v alley ' the mother Such a bad storm that The glow from the lighted window 1 expect he was late in starting But threw its red beam across tbe snow now its cleared up, f daresay hell be as he rounded' the curve and came here soon , withm sight of the lonely cottage and Her words were cheery, but Mike a corresponding glow warmed Mikes caught the anxious glance she gave heart as he thought of her husband of the children when they found their Uu out aud see if Williams in longdelaved ( hrixtnias gifts sight yet Alke said the man He Seeing no sign of life be slipped ought toluivt been here an hour ago in at the front gate, and stepping eight closed across the desolate moor, the snow ceased falling the clouds broke, and a bid liant moon shod tta 8,1er light atiuss Mike diopped ou hands aud kuees the wide Mietihes. of rolling white behind the angle of the wall as the ness With the dour opened, and the wotuau stood ou looking out dowu the l h gan cia,lKe to freeze fiercely, empty snow dad valley coating the sodden tleSomehow the pathos of the bare litChristmas tree and the anxious drifts with a crisp family appealed to his hardened old film'of ice At every step soul, and when the door closed again Mike Dempsev s he rose to his feet and instead of fol tired feet broke lowing out his first intention and en and sank deep tering the house to demand food and this coating, through stuff into soft beneath, making the clothes climbed the wall again and made off down the valley. traveling so terribly hard that, in 'If William's coming this way, of the hitter cold, perspiration spite be a road of sorts,' lie said therell stood in beads on his thin, brown to himself face. And sure enough there was He was breathing hard and evicovered deep in snow, he Though nev he dently desperately weary, yet er stopped lor a moment, though now found that there was a path down and then, as je plowed his wTiy on the valley, wbiM, . bad little doubt turn bis head and would lead eventually to the main wan.1 he wr cast a. apprehensive glance back road to town He hd gone another mile when a over his shoulder. Had anyone been near enough to dark pate h in the snow straight ahead watch him, they would easily have un attracted his attention, and he caught derstood his haste. The drab livery his breath sharply as he stopped beI plentifully besprinkled with broad ar- side it. For it was a man lying flat on his rows marked'him as one of the state a unwilling guests. As a matter of fact, face, and, judging by the snow wbnh Mike Dempsey had been torllthe last almost covered bis body, be had been three years a prison inmate, aqd it tTSere in the same position for some was with the intention of escaping an time, lleside him lay a halfhlled other seven years of unappreciated sack, also covered with sn,ow. Mike gave a sharp glance around. hospitality that he had, a few hours horizon was still previously, "done a bunk" under cov Tbe moonlight er of the sudden snowstorm. bare. He stooped and turned the man Tte puzzled thlm screws, that's over. wan thing sure," he muttered to him "Dead!" he muttered. "Dead and self.and in spite of this fatigue a cold! as be laid his hand against the slight chuckle escaped his thin lips chill cheek. But faith, Ive puzzled mesilf, too, For a moment he stood staring at and 1 dont know where I am no more the dead man a face, which was that than Adam.' of a little old mau, w izened and If 1 cud only git a -- landmark -- at and very much of Mike a own type some sort!" he went on. Eanst.l and build cudUnd my road to the railway. I'd Then, like a flash. It came to the win clear. Mike Dempsey wasnt a convict that here at last was his navvy siven years for nothing." chance, and a thrill shot through his He crunched his slow wa) across a weary , frame. flat valley, jumped a little brook and He U not need tbim duds any pushed up the steep slope beyond. more, he muttered, and, dropping on A gleam of light in the next valley his knees in the snow, began with i attracted ' his attention. It came trembling lingers to strip the dead from a lighted window, and there was man of his clothes. something comforting to the lonely They were worn and old, but to fugitive In the red gtew cast upon Mike as precious as broadcloth, for the glittering snow. Without hesitaonce he was rid of his convict garb tion, he started downhill toward it. he had multiplied hia chances ot esPresently he was cautiously ap- cape a hundredfold. proaching a small house, which stood Not till he had completed tbe whole In a tiny garden surrounded by a low change of costume down to boots dry stone wall. There was a gate m and hat, amt had burled blq broad arfront, but Mike preferred to approach rows deep in a neighboring drift, did Mike bethink himself ot (he 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 sob diers, a cheap doll, a box of wax tapers, and one of crackers, and a Not an couple of packets of sweets. article of the lot which had cost 25 renta and the value of the whole not five dollars. Mike stood and stared at them. Tbe box of soldiers had fallen open. He stooped and picked up the little painted figures, and replaced them carefully. So twas poor ould Santy Claus, he muttered. "And the children will be waiting on him. Twas hard luck intoirety." Again he bent down and quickly bundled everything back into tbe sack. He laid this by the dead body, and turning on bis heel, walked rapidly away. He could not be more than four or five miles from the town now, and with hie knowledge of railway matters it would be easy enough Jto stow away in a truck, and lying under a tarpaulin be carried scores of miles away from the hated Besides there was money prison Only a lit in his trousers pockets and drink, food to but buy tie, plenty a clay pipe, and a plug of tobacco. Mikes mouth watered ai he thought of a square meaL He tried to keep his thoughts on t Was a Man Lying Flat on His Facs. the prospect of these almost forgotten luxuries, yet, somehow it was difficult. from the back, and clambering gi The picture seen tbrougb the cottage over the wall crept up to the window kept rising before his mind, window from which the light came. and thougb he did hie best to thrust Raising himself till his head was it aside, the effort was unavailing. level with the sill, he peered Long years ago Mike had a home of Wife through the uncurtained window into hie own, a wife, and a Baby. . barely furnished living room, light- - and bany both had died, swept swsy by a great fire of glowing tuff. in a wee by an epidemic, of diphA couch stood In one corner, on theria. and that had been tbe beginwhich lay a youngish man whose ban ning of the Irish navvy's downfslL daged head showed him to be the But ne nad never forgotten them, and near victim of some accident On a chair tonight they seemed strangely beside him sat a sweet faced wom-- n him. and on he bare earthen floor A sound between a grunt and a ne stopped played two children a curly-haire- d groan burst from bis lips; cf baca. by about seven, and a chubby girl and- looked a year or so a fool ye are, Mike Dempsey! younger. But what arrested Mike's attention he exclaimed aloud. "Git along arid for tna was a little fir tree, not more than ye, and dont b delaying four feet high, which stood nan ye!" planted screws to an old bucket, table In tbe . Again ne started forward, but ..middle of the' room. more slowly than before, and ncaad 'w a moment It puzzled sot gone a Hundred yards before once came to a dead stop. h he gave a hmi ld on-th- e 1 is no use. ne groaned. 1 11 just Dacz an lave thlm things at IQS IL. r GIVE UNEXPECTED THE r dooi, iti upped his sack and. giving nue sharp tap, turned the bolt But he had not counted on the eager thilUien aud before he could get round k I Quality That Rings True in the Novel and New NOTHING COULD BE A MORE PRACTICAL GIFT THAN ONE OF THESE CEDAR CHESTS ; 'And at these prices you cant afford to overlook them. All Right," Hs 8aid Sullenly, Coma Qulet" -- tbe angle of the house curly-lock- s came flying after him, "William, where Is Santy Claus? piped the childish treble. It alnt William, sonny. Tell your mammy as W illiam s got lost, and 1 Drought the things instead. Now Ive got to go, for Im in a mighty hurry.' "I expect you are'" came a jeering voice, and a blue uniformed man carrying a carbine stepped out from the dark shadow round tbe corner, followed Instantly by a second. Mike gave one glance around. But he was cornered. The wall cut os escape. "All right." he said sullenly. Til come quiet. . You'd better, retorted the warder, whose temper long hours in the snow nad not improved. "Mammy, tbe policemen have took Santy Claus," cried tbe little lad. . Mike glanced up. The boy s mother was standing by, her face blauk with amazemenL "What doea this mean?" sns cried. "Is it William? "Not unless he's changed bis name since morning, mil sns, replied tne warden. "He was Michael Dempsey when he bunked from Moorlands just after dinner. "But 1 dont understand. Hes got William Crokers clothes on, and be s brought the things from Ashampton that William went to fetch." v The other warder a grizzled, elderly man shook his bead. 1 don't . JlYouve got me, mlssua. know what his little game la no mors than you." , "Most Ilka he has murdered William," put in the younger warder sourly. He said William waa lost, mammy, explained the boy, "so hes brought the things Instead. And here they is, all safe. "Best make a clean breast of It, Dempsey," suggested tbe elder war- ' der. $15.00 $10.50 Ill THESE SEWING TABLES Are not only a handsome piece of furniture, but useful every day. 812.5010825 Tea Wagons Just what SHE has wanted for ever so long a Library Tables A beautiful t r $8.50 to $24 time. necessity at prices within reach of all We are nol going to wait untill Christmas Eve to mark down our Toys. We believe in giving those who shop early a fair chance. will Beginning Thursday, December 9th, we OFFER ALL TOYS AT COST. , "Go and find out yonraelf," flashed the old convict "Williams down the " valley there." "You take the chap Into tbe houae, George, said the older warder. "Ill go down and aee Half an hour later he returned. T e found William, he said telefly. "Hes froze to death. Dempsey took his clothes, but he didn't have no Hand In hilling him." "Then, In the name of sense, what .did he come back hers for Instead of ,sklmminr out?" inquired the younger warder. In blank surprise. "He came to bring our Kismas pres"He told ents, explained curly-lockme so." "Well, of nil tbe everlasting fools, gasped tbe junior warder. His senior wheeled on him sharply. "A good thing if tnere were a tew more fools of that kind in Moorlands. Ay and outside, too!" He turned to Mike: "Come along, Dempsey," hs said in a more kindly tone. TH aee as tbe governor snows how It wsa w come to take you. And 1 reckon your playing Santy Claus won't do you no harm n hia eyes, any more than It nan la i s. sUm!" (kderv Furniture & Garnet Co, |