| Show katty although a vain bianze turkey rustled his gorgeous feathers in a corral and there was a box of cran berries and some lapsins and other fixings which hovie ct preparation tor a thanksgiving d katy holt grew thoughtful every time that thanksgiving was mentioned she had a large ne on hand that needed tact courage and good luck to carry it through tom holt her father was a gener ous man hasp table ti endly and square but temper as violent and flashy one year ago when thanksgiving was drawing near wll liam holt her father s on brother had been her father s par ner in the red dog gold mine in some way a quarrel the first of their lives had arisen between the two brothers the did not eat their thanksgiving din ner together but vent angrily apart william deeded his share in the red dog to tom and gave papers to william for a share in the golden wonder mine on the other side of the mountain some miles away no more partners both sad at heart but both too edge that he was the least in the wrong they shook hands coldly and separated biilly enough since then they had not seen one another katy holt kissed the girls at the school good bye took her books in a grip sack turned her t ack on the class room with something of a choking sensation for she lilied study and the association 0 the young girls at the school and the next day her father was surprised to see her just at night fall come into his camp tom holt smiled the first time in a month and felt better already three days before thanksgiving a large package was brought into camp by indian jack it was addressed to miss katy holt she took it and gave orders that no one was to open it what Is it all about sisa asked her father something for thanksgiving the best of all and a surprise it I 1 can keep it so then the next day a letter came for katy which she opened hurriedly and read with beating heart it was from her uncle will As she turned the pages there were many of them a twenty dollar bill rustled out on it was pinned a slip 0 paper with the words for katy A sudden light came anti inti her eyes she called her father and told biro that she wished to ride to the town at once and wished indian jack to go with her consent being given she was soon under way galloping over the trails with speed hello uncle billy she cried as she reached the camp when she was particularly fond she always called uncle will billy and he understood and liked the nickname when he spoke it she leaped from her horse fairly dragged uncle will into his cabin and there talked with him tor a long time he shook his head repeatedly stamp ed two or three times and would have said some hard words but that katy each time covered his mouth with kisses and then she hugged him and ow uncle billy you know you will make our little girl the sad dest of ans one in the world it you say no and she will be the happiest if you u ly wll say yes well answered uncle will it Is the b pi 1 of my life but I 1 ft ill do it but mind you katy it Is all tor you thank you dear you are the best uncle billy in all the world but mind not a word to tom not a word uncle then she went to town and there bought two gold rings with her 20 dollar bill and inside of each she had the words engraved day of thanks giving wita these rings she went home and on the way made indian jack prom se that he not say where they had been when she rang the bell tor ber father to come in he stood speech less and in surprise to see that the table was et for three how Is this kitty he asked hastily whom have you asked to come to dinner with usa katy pretended to be busy taking something out of the mysterious package that indian jack had brought in some days earlier suddenly she E id why here Is a letter from grandma addre oed to you dad and say dad j see what grand ma has sent to you don t you know how you used to say that when you mere a boy you used to go to grand ma s pantry and find an earthen jar ull of suga cookies that she had made and how you used to hook some of to carry away to your baby brother 7 hush katy no more of him he has gone his way and I 1 have gone mine no more and say dad went on baty nw bravely disobeying her father and don t you r bember what 3 ou said told you one time after you had stolen the cookies and she found out that you did not eat them ut gave them to your baby brother I 1 shall look to you to care tor billye katy cried ber father I 1 see it all now wis this what made you leave the school where you wera so happye katy nodded breathless well said her father it you did that you deserve a reward but let bill come me katy went to the aboor and called uncle bil she 3 out of the house to let them meet when no one was by she made a pretense of being busy out side when she came back to the cabin she saw the two brothers sit ting on a wooden bench each with an abou the other and lovelight in their eyes when the turkey had been attended to and the other delicacies also katy said why dd here Is your letter froni grandma D d you read ita yes katy but it will stand read ing again read it aloud to billy my dear tom and billy so read the letter I 1 am happy to day to think how blessed you are in the love 0 one I 1 send you a jar of sugar cookies such as mother used to make to help out our love for one another that is just it said tom it is like a mes sage that we both needed just the thing agreed billy reaching out his hand then there as a call for the sugar cookies and they were produced jar and all just like the old times in tact the old jar and now cried katy triumphant such a pretty idea ly here are two gold rings exactly alike except tor size for my sake wear them always from now on in memory of this day and of your lov ing katy that was the crowning moment as katy handed over the gold rings I 1 think said tom holt to katy that we can afford to send you back to school again yes said uncle billy to college too thank you dears I 1 would like to learn some more but added uncle billy it must be with the agreement that you must come home to help us celebrate thanksgiving every year it is a go said katy in true min er fashion as she extended one hand to her father and the mothr to uncle billy david H walker in san fran cisco chronicle |
