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Show , 9 (TT TELL, if there isn't .lean VV Ellory '" Jean had been an " ' old sweetheart of Saliua's and she had not seen him for years ; but she would know him in a million, for she had always loved him. He was busy cutting fancy figures on the ice. She ' stood watching him, her heart skipping beats as she did so. The lee had been especially prepared for the Ohrlstmas holidays and Saliua, In her pretty white wool sports outfit was gliding along, swan-like, still watching Jean Ellory out of tbe corner cor-ner of her eye. He must have felt the strong contact of her thought for suddenly he looked In her direction, but she quickly turned the other way. Then he skated more fiercely than ever, cutting a huge letter let-ter "S." She skated about pretending not to notice, but when he started off toward the far end of the lagoon she glided over to where he had cut the figures. There was the old-fashioned letter "S" and another and still another. an-other. There were "S's" all over. How she wondered If they represented the regular Ice -cutter's "S" or if she really BP ' J dared hope that they ' ' J might by any chance Y stand for "Sallna." I The snow was be- I I coming heavier and tAy'," j more cumber some ftj ?iW-J and she noticed that "ILqu(! most of the skaters "7v3t V had already left for home, and celebra- xaJjT All the way home- -yy TnfSSrtS ward she was think- rTT-lH3&k tng about Jean Ell- tfLfciS" lory and stopping at Intervals to trace his name in the snow. She must have written It a dozen times or more. The gifts she had been expecting for Christmas suddenly sud-denly appeared Insignificant and useless use-less In comparison to the one vital gift the love of Jean. Only with a mighty struggle was Salina endeavoring to join In the Christmas celebrations, for her heart was nearly breaking. "What Is the matter, Sallna?" questioned ques-tioned mother, as Sallna almost choked with the lump in her throat. "Nothing, Mother dear, only the Christmas spirit," answered Salina, bravely. At this very moment Jean was hurrying hur-rying home whistling merrily, his skates swinging oyer his shoulders. Suddenly he stopped short at seeing his own name displayed all over the snow, here, there and everywhere. "What on earth could that mean?" It was beautifully lettered and In a girl's handwriting! Jean, stooping, carefully noted the letters In their every detail. He was determined to learn who the girl could be, who had so thought of him on Christmas eve that she had scrolled his name all over the snow. Jean, quickening his pace, reached home, luckily before the celebrations had begun and sklpjjsd up the staircase stair-case two steps at a time to his own room. Most excitedly he dug through his belongings In search of a box of old valentines from school days. It was missing! Where could it be? "Mother, hare you seen my valentines?" valen-tines?" shouted Jean. "What on earth do you want with valentines on Christmas, Jean?" "They are decorating the walls of my room and hare been, for some time, my dear brother!" taunted Clara-Bell. The next moment Jean was tearing down the valentines regardless of his sister's protestations and began frantically fran-tically examining their contents, still leaving mother and sister stupefied. "Here it 1st I knew It! This Is the one !" r Crushed in the hand of Jean wjia a small red. lace-trimmed heart with the words, "To Jean, from Sallna." 'Twas an exact duplicate of the letters In the snow. Now he knew ! Dear old Sallna! His childhood sweetie sweet-ie p heart ! The doorbell at SrTA C$i Salina's rang with llvjA s." Jl a loud peal right In f'ti tft'V Sf Christmas celebia- "Who could be f-YW $l calling on Chrlst-Kdr Chrlst-Kdr 14 i mas eve?" they all 'Jfa A '': m 1 e wondered, ill ! I T 'I ' "Tou had better go, Salina," said Mother, sweetly. Salina went, brushing aside a tear, aa she did so. She opened the duor, as If in a dream scene. She had apparently lost all sense of reality for the moment "Salina !" said Jean. "Jean, dear," replied Sallna. The "dear" Just slipping out from her heart before she knew It "My name in the snow," said Jean. "The letter 'S,' " whispered Salina. "Merry Christmas!" shouted the whole family. O. Western Newspaper Union. |