Show under the mistletoe bu M K P copyright by western it was an ideal yuletide Yule tlde toe the sweet notes ot of church chimes throbbing out melodiously I 1 peace prace on earth good will to men announced it laughter smiles gay greetings among the street crowd crowds it two men going in the same direction strangers one to the other yet oddly mutually involved in a fateful circum stance of the hour unconsciously lessened lese ened their gait to catch the final notes from the distant belfry he ile in advance swarthy ehll ayed bearing a neatly cov red box under his arm uttered ai ugly sinister chacke before thai that hour strikes again twist be he hissed malevolently rather than uttered and he carped tho box aud strode on grim with profound purpose the man ton paces behind him young handsome neat but none too fashionably clad carried a thin square package sug suggesting geatIng a carr canvas vas for his waa was an artiste artist a face and be he was an artist chase merwyn had he spoken his hearts thought bo he would have whispered softly before this hour strikes again I 1 shall have said good by to all I 1 love loye he ile of the sinister semblance strode on and turned into a fashionable rest dence thoroughfare unconsciously ilke a shadow the other kept almost afen a fen pace with him under an arc are lamp chase merwyn paused to look over the package he carried ilia ob point was a mansion a daz place of light and luxury and antl before it the sinister looking man had halted a poorly dressed fellow stray struy baro gling along without an overcoat and blue and pinched with the cold the twain were conversing and the man with the box handed it to the other pointed to the doorway ot at the mansion and passed on ills ilia messenger pro ceedee up the steps which merwyn al also it was in time to see a it servant open the door and to bear the other say A present tor for mr worthington to be opened tomorrow ob oh ot of course that smiled the servant taking the box 1 I will place it with the other gitts gifts ah mr mer wyn and the servant stepped stopped aside to admit him for miss bites worthington said merwyn handing his hl gift to the other his ills gift was as a picture he be had painted and with it was a letter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 slowly vly merwyn descended the steps tie ile paused for a few moments on the pavement to take a last look at the home that held bald so much tor for him A linking slinking figuro approached him from the shadows blister be he stammered im poor and I 1 need the gold coin a wan gave me for delivering a box to that house tonight but ah I 1 rem remembers emberl i observed merwyn marwyn recalling man and circumstance A gold cold coin Is so rare for a trifling service eer vice nd the other that I 1 was auspicious suspicious armin I 1 like the ie fla i e of the ma mita who gave it to mj mi I 1 followed him he ile met some others athers like himself I 1 beard heard attra laugh over an explosion about great be avenal ejaculated merwyn compit comprehending hending and was up iho the steps in a flash quick 1 quick open I 1 he be cried to the servant just setting the chain on the inside the rho music room I 1 uttered merwyn excitedly and hurried thither turned on the light switch and made ft a dash tor for the table he lie remembered the shape and size of the box his eyes oyes made out one corresponding to il it merwyn rare rave it a fling ibe the window there w WM a flash fish and outside p deti detonation nation thai thit shook the house borne boma flying object thudded aganet his hi head and tend be he tell fall to the floor it was christmas day when he opened hie his eyes he lie lay upon a couch pulled directly under the chandelier daylight was streaming into the room tho wrecked window frame was bar ricadel rica ded ills ilia bead head was bandaged and seated at a little distance was esther oh ob I 1 am so bladt she the cried as stis that hta his eyes had opened the surgeon has just left and papa ho says you saved us all and that you yon are a hero herol and the beautiful picture you intended for me it wan was riddled with window asas but 1 I found tb the a letter why did you writ writs so Because because I 1 feared to write writ alt all the truth merwyn confessed the rho asu m rho warned you told to enough to have us jaees the poke ethel confusedly changing the subject and then ohe she followed the klanca of 0 ills III eyes rested on the mistletoe Bilet mist letoe letos right over his hl head why whir this Is christmas sure debough flattered fluttered esther uther and we are the first cthel Bt hel spoke merwyn 11 1 lays ui his Ms arms were bitted towards her aad and a world ot of plea dibe wu was in 1 l lousing eyes she did not besl tAle their lip lips met that stron strangely gely beautiful morat unior the mistletoe |