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Show caught on the ice in a snow storm." On they glided holding firmly to the sled rope. The sharp snow granules became more numerous. The air was filled with them, pelting and biting their faces and making the skating less and less easy. The cracks and holes In the ice were soon covered. More than once Jack and Katharine found themselves them-selves clutching the air in wild contortions con-tortions to keep their balance. Suddenly Katharine's skate caught In a hole. In falling she hit Jack's skate and they both went sliding and sprawling on the snow-covered surface. The sleigh, with the tree on it, sped past them, carried on by the impetus of its weight and the flying start it had. The two skaters gathered themselves together, regaining their feet in time to see the runaway sleigh hit a fisherman's fish-erman's hut. The hut collapsed. They watched two much befurred, and irate men disentangle themselves from the wreck and glare around to see what It was all about Katharine and Jack sped towards them as fast as the skating would permit. per-mit. "We're so sorry," Katharine began. "But the snow covered the cracks In t Christmas Trails and Gales Florence Harris Wells a DOW that she was really at home for Christmas Kath-n Kath-n arlne Mann found herself Am w'sninS that Ene bad invited yj some of her young city SB uSkwS frIen(Js t0 accompany her. Katharine was working on a the last few rows of the scarf she was knitting for her mother's Christmas gift and her thoughts were as busy as her fingers. She had thought it was going to be Kil too stupid in the little bay shore vil- lage for her friends. But father and mother and brother Jack had all been eo sincerely delighted to see her that she had decided a home was after all the only place in which to spend Christmas and boarding and rooming 'i houses could not compare, no matter how congenial the young folks there , . might be. Still she did wish Fred ' Aldrich might be here, too. J Fred had grown to be quite a part of her life she was learning, now that 8t she had been away for two days. They f0': had been boarding at the same place for six months. It was a Jolly group at that boarding house. Katharine hoped they were missing her, especial-ly especial-ly Fred, she admitted to herself. An the Ice and my skate caught " she got no further. A pair of black eyes under the huge fur cap were mischievously mis-chievously twinkling: twink-ling: "So, you're our undoing, Katharine Mann. I came up here on your trail but I didn't expect you to upset my plans In this fashion." fash-ion." Katharine had somewhat recovered her noise: " Idea she would not ij have had any one W surmise no, not for anything. 8 Thijteeu-year-old i$ Brother Jack came 9 dashing Into the Kil room : Sfc "Shall we go get pif the Christmas tree, $ sister?" "All right," Kath- arlne answered ji quickly. It was al- ways an adventure to cut across the Ice-covered bay to the pine woods on the other side and select exactly the "How did you get here, Fred Aldrich? I thought I left you In town?" "You did. But what's a city without your gay self In it? I decided to accept ac-cept uncle's proffered Invitation to fish ; so I followed you home. You know my aunt and uncle?" "Of course. We're old friends." Katharine beamed her brightest smile upon the uncle. "But I didn't know you were relatives. This is my brother, broth-er, Jack." "Let's go home and get the tree up. It's almost quit snowing," Jack offered unceremoniously. "Let's," the uncle added, but he smiled as though well pleased. "Your mother has already asked us for Christmas dinner, Katharine. It was to have been a surprise." "A pretty fine one I'd say," Fred's voice sounded very gay and happy. "That tree deserves special attention In my opinion. So off we go, over the Ice and through the snow." And someway It proved much easier going now than It did before especially espe-cially to Katharine. . Western Newspaper Union. right tree from the abundance to be found there. Jack would chop It down and together they would tie It secure- ly on the big sled. It was easy enough to bring it back, especially when the JJJ Ice was as smooth as it was this year; ts for they would skate over and back. $ It was two miles across to the pine woods which they reached In much g less time than It usually took them. They did not often have such a smooth en' skating surface. It was time well ft gained; for it took much longer than $ was customary to find just the right 6ized tree to fit into the space allotted . It In their living room. The short December De-cember day was already drawing to a u close when the two found themselves f) once more on the ice heading for home. Hi "We'll have to hurry if we get home oil before dark. Jack." iff "Don't I know It!" Jack answered. Irf "Look ! It's snowing." I Sure enough the air was filled with Sfine, glistening particles. "We've got to hustle now, Kath. You know you're plain stuck If you get |