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Show I Santa Mike- II qA Christmas j; i! Convict Story is 1 1 :: ----- ;; i; By T. C. BRIDGES ; I k pss--3rv S THE December l night closed across V tho desolato moor, raA a m tno flnow ceased 2r falling, tho clouds 7m9a ""m -,roko nn1 brll- t!j1- -l "ant raoon Bnc- '-' jgylfo tilgf sllvor light across WHV )KB tno w' Btrotchcs KmVll of rolllnB white- Hmv 4k nofls Wltl1 tho i fl chango, It began J Xi lr to freozo florcoly, jSSjt () coating tho sodden JBryjlMuSSr drifts with a crisp MU ll 111m of ico. TirSwBL At ovory ntp 0 TttO Miko Dempsoy's tired foot broko through thlB coating, and sank deop Into soft stuff beneath, making tho traveling bo torrlbly hard that, in Bpito of tho bitter cold, porsplratlon stood in beads on his thin, brown faco. Ho was breathing hard, nnd evidently evi-dently dosperatoly weary, yot ho never nev-er stopped for a moment, though now and then, as ho plowed his way onwards, on-wards, ho would turn bis head and cast nn npprohonslvo glanco back over his shoulder. Had anyone been near enough to watch him, thoy would easily havo understood un-derstood his hasto. Tho drab livery plentifully besprinkled with broad arrows ar-rows marked him as ono of tho stato'o unwilling guests. Ab a mnttor of fact, Mlko Dampsoy had been for tho last threo years a prison lnmato, nnd it wns with tho lntontlon ot escaping an-othor an-othor seven years of unapproclatcd hospitality that ho had, a tow hours previously, "dono a bunk" under cover cov-er of tho sudden snowstorm. "1'vo puzzled thlm scrowa, that's wan thing suro," ho muttered to him-solf, him-solf, nnd in spito of his fatlguo a Blight chucklo escaped his thin lips. "But faith, I'vo puzzled mosilf, too, nnd I don't know whoro I am no moro than Adam. "If I cud only git a landmark ot oomo sort!" ho went on. "Eanst I cud find my road to tho railway, I'd win clear. Mlko Dompsoy wasn't a navvy Blvon ycarB for nothing." Ho crunched his slow way across a flat valloy, Jumped a llttlo brook and pushed up tho steep slopo boyond. A gleam of light In tho next valloy attracted his attention. It camo from a lighted window, and thero was something comforting to tho lonely fugltivo In tho red glow cast upon tho glittering snow. Without hesitation, hesita-tion, ho started downhill toward It. Proscntly ho was cautiously approaching ap-proaching a small houso, which stood in a tiny garden surrounded by a low dry-stono wall. Thoro wns a gato In front, but Mlko proforrcd to approach It Was a Man Lying Flat on His Face. from tho back, and clamborlng gingerly gin-gerly ovor tho wall crept up to tho window from which tho light camo. Raising himself till his head was on a level with tho sill, he poored through tho uncurtained window into & barely furnlshod living room, lighted light-ed by a great flro of glowing turf. A couch stood in one corner, on which lay a youngish man whoso bandaged ban-daged head showed htm to bb tho victim of somo accident. On a chair beHldo him sat a swoot-faced woman, wom-an, and on tho bare earthen floor played two children a curly-haired boy of about Boven, and a chubby girl a year or so younger. But what arrested Miko'a attention was a llttlo fir tree, not moro than tour foot high, which stood planted In nn old bucket, on tho tablo In tho middle of tho room. For a moment It puzzled Mlko. (Then he gave a llttlo gasp. "Ucggor, If it ain't a Christmas trool Why, 'tin Christmas ova, 1 do bolnvo, though, faith, I'd lost thrack of tho dato in tho ould stono jug on tho bill. But whoro's tho prlslntsV 'Tts as baro as mo awn pocket," ho wont on wonderingly. At that moment tho boy got up, and going forwaru to tho woman, pulled at hor dress to attract her attention. "Mother, Isn't Santa Claus coming? Ho's awful late. Wo shan't havo no Kismas tree if ho doesn't como soon." "It's tho snow, dearie." explained tho mother. "Such a bad storm that I expect ho was lato In starting. But now It's cleared up, 1 daresay he'll bo hero soon." Her words were cheery, but Mlko caught tho anxious glanco she gavo hor husband. "Go out and boo If William'B in sight yet, Alice," said tho man. "Ho ought to havo been horo an hour ago. I only hopo nothing has happoncd to tho poor old fellow." Mlko dropped on hands nnd knees behind tho anglo of tho Wall as tho door opened, and tho woman stood on tho threshold looking out down tho empty snowclad valloy. Somohow tho pathos of tho bare llttlo llt-tlo Christmas trco and tho anxious family appealed to his hardened old soul, and when tho door closed again ho roso to his feet, and Instead of following fol-lowing out his first intention and entering en-tering tho houso to domand food and clothes, climbed tho wall again and mndo off down tho valloy. "If William's coming this way, thoro'll bo a road of sorts," ho Bald to himself. And suro enough thero was. Though covered deep in snow, ho found that thoro was a path down tho valloy, which ho had llttlo doubt would load eventually to tho main road to town. Ho had gono another mllo when a dark patch in tho snow straight ahead attracted his attention, and ho caught his breath sharply as ho stopped bo-Bido bo-Bido It For It was a man lying flat on his faco, nnd, judging by tho snow which almost covered his body, ho bad been thoro in tho samo position for somo tlmo. Bcsldo him lay a halflllled sack, also covered with snow. Miko gavo a sharp glanco around. Th'o moonlight horizon was still baro. Ho stooped and turned tho man ovor. "Dead I" ho muttored. "Dead and cold!" as ho laid his hand against tho chill chcok. For a moment ho stood staring at tho dond man's faco, which was that of a llttlo old man, wlzcnod and bearded, beard-ed, and very much ot Miko's own typo and build. Then, llko a flash, It camo to tho convict that hero at last was his chance, and a thrill shot through his weary framo. "Ho'll not nocd thlm duds any moro," ho muttored, and, dropping on hiB knees In tho snow, bogan with trombltng flngors to strip tho dead man of his clothes. Thoy wero worn and old, but to Mlko as procious as broadcloth, for onco ho was rid ot his convict garb ho had multiplied his chances ot es-capo es-capo a hundredfold. Not till ho had completed tho wholo chango of costumo down to boots and hnt, and hnd burled his broad arrows ar-rows doop in a neighboring drift, did Mlko bethink himself of tho sack. Ho snatched It up eagerly, hoping it might contain food, and turned tho contents out upon tho snow. A small drum, a bag of lead sol-dlors, sol-dlors, a cheap doll, a box of wax tapers, and ono ot crackers, and a couplo ot packets of sweots. Not an article ot tho lot which had cost 25 conts, and tho vnluo of tho wholo not llvo dollars. Miko stood and stared at thorn. Tho box of soldiers had fallen open. Ho stooped and picked up tho llttlo painted paint-ed figures, and roplaced thorn carefully. care-fully. "So 'twas poor ould Santy Claus," ho muttered. "And tho children will bo waiting on him, 'Twas hard luck Intoiroly." Again ho bent down and quickly bundled ovorything back into the sack. Ho laid this by tho dead body, 'and turning on his heel, walked rapidly away. Ho could not bo moro than four or flvo miles from tho town now, and with his knowledgo of railway rail-way matters it would bo easy enough to stow away in a truck, and lying under a tarpaulin bo carried scoros of mllos away from tho hated prison. Besides thero was money in his trousers pockets. Only a llttlo, llt-tlo, but plenty to buy food and drink, a clay pipo, and a plug of tobacco. Miko'a mouth watered as ho thought ot a squaro meal. Ho tried to keep his thoughts on tho prospect ot thoso almost forgotten luxuries, yot, somehow It was dlfllcult Tho plcturo soon through tho cottago window kopt rising beforo his mind, and though ho did bis best to thrust It aside, tho effort was unavailing. Long years ago Mlko had a homo ot his own, a wlfo, and a baby. Wife and baby both had died, swept away in a woo, by an epidemic ot diphtheria, diph-theria, and that had been tho beginning begin-ning of tho Irish navvy's downfall. But ho had never forgotten them, and tonight thoy seemed strangely near him. A sound betweon a grunt and a groan burst from his lips; hoatoppod and looked back. " 'Tls a fool yo are, Mlko Dompsey!" he exclaimed aloud. "Git along wld yo, and don't bo delaying for the screws to nab yo!" Again he started forward, but moro slowly than boforo, and ho had not gone a hundred yardB before onco moro be camo to a dead stop, i " 'TIb no use," bo groaned. "I'll Just run back an lavo thlm things at tno duro. Thoro'll bo tlmo to reach town by midnight" Tho bitter wind was in his faco as ho turned back up tho hill, but now Mlko did not hcsltato for a moment Head down, ho hurried onwards, nnd presently was ngaln bcsldo tho corpas of Santa ClnuB' frozen raessongor. Without a glanco at tho body h snatched up tho sack, flung It ovor hla shoulder, and continued his way up tho valloy. Tho glow from tho lighted window throw its red beam across tho snow as ho rounded tho curvo and camo within Bight of tho lonely cottago and a corresponding glow warmod Miko's heart as ho thought ot tho pleasuro of tho children whon thoy found thoir long-delayed Christmas gifts. Seeing no sign of life, ho Bllppod In at tho front gato, and, stopping vory qulotly up tho path, gained tho door, dropped his sack, and giving ono sharp tap, turned tho bolt But ho had not counted on tho eager children, nnd beforo hn could got round "All Right," Ho Said Sullenly, "I'll Como Quiet." tho anglo of tho house curly-locks camo flying after him. "William, whero is Santy Claus?" piped tho childish treble "It ain't William, sonny. Toll your mammy as William's got lost, and I brought tho things instead. Now I'vo got to go, for I'm in a mighty hurry." "I expect you are!" camo a jeering voico, and a bluo-unlformed man carrying car-rying a carblno stepped out from tho dark sbadow round tho corner, fol lowed instantly by a second. Mlko gavo ono glanco around. But ho was cornered. Tho wall cut oft escape. "All right," ho said sullenly, "I'll como quiet" "You'd hotter," rotorted tho wardor, whoso temper long hours in tho onow had not improved. "Mammy, tho pollcomon hnvo took Santy Claus," cried tho llttlo lad. Miko glanced up. Tho boy's mother was standing by, hor faco blank with amazement. "What does this mean?" eno cried. "Is It William?" "Not unless ho's changed his namo Blnco morning, missus," replied tho warden. "Ho was MIchaol Dcmpsey when ho bunked from Moorlands just nftor dinner." "But I don't understand. Ho's got William Crokcr's clothes on, and ho's brought tho things from Asbampton that William wont to fetch." Tho other wardor a grizzled, elderly elder-ly man shook his head. "You'vo got mo, missus. I don't know what his llttlo gamo is no moro than you." "Most llko ho has murdered William," Wil-liam," put In tho younger warder sourly. sour-ly. "Ho said William was lost, mammy," mam-my," oxplained tho boy, "so ho'B brought tho things instead. And hero thoy 1b, all safo." "Best mako a clean breast of It, Dompsoy," suggested tho older wardor. war-dor. "Go and find out yourself," flashed tho old convict. "William'B down tho valloy thero." "You tako tho chap into tho house, Gcorgo," Bald tho older wardor. "I'll go down and soo." Half an hour later ho returned. "I'vo found William," ho said brlofly. "Ho's frozo to death. Dompsoy took hiB clothos, but ho didn't havo no band in killing him." "Then, In tho namo ot aenso, what did he como back hero for Instead ot skimming out?" Inquired tho younger wardor, In blank surprise. "Ho came to bring our Klsmaa presents," pres-ents," oxplained curly-locks. "He told mo so." "Woll, of all the everlasting fools," gnBped tho junior wardor. His senior wheeled on him sharply. "A good thing it, thero wore a few more fools of that kind in Moorlands. Ay and outside, too!" Ho turned to Mlko: "Como along, Dompsey," ho said In a more kindly tono. "I'll see as tho governor knows how It was we como to tako you. And 1 reckon your playing play-ing Santy Claus won't do you no hnrm In hiB eyes, any mora than It nas Id mine!" |