Show irit tt t Under the Mistletoe Bu IIii M M. M P. P t tt i Copyright by Western s Union It was a an n ideal Yuletide The sweet notes botes I of f church chimes throbbing out melodiously Peace on earth good goodwill goodwill will to men announced d it laughter smiles gay greetings among the street crowds emphasized it It Two men going In the snore same direction strangers one to the other yet oddly mutually Involved in a fateful circumstance circumstance circum stance of ot the hour unconsciously lessened their gait to catch the final notes from the distant belfry lIe He in advance swarthy evil eyed evil oyed bearing a neatly covered box under his arm uttered an ugly chuckle W Before Defore that hour strikes again again- I this he hissed malevolently rather than uttered and he tapped the box and strode on grim with some profound profound profound pro pro- found purpose The man ten paces behind him young oung handsome neat but none too fashionably clad carried a thin square package suggesting a canvas for tor his was an artists artist's face and he ho was an artist Chase artist Chase Merwyn Had he spoken his hearts heart's thought he hI would have whispered softly Before Defore this hour strikes again 1 I shall have said good good good-by to all I 1 love He of ot the sinister semblance strode on and turned into a fashionable resi resti residence dence dente thoroughfare Unconsciously like a shadow the other kept almost even pace with him Under an arc lamp Chase Merwyn paused to look over the package he carried Ills His objective objective obJective ob ob- point was a mansion a dazzling daz dazzling place of light and luxury and before it the sinister-looking sinister man had halted a dressed poorly fellow struggling struggling I gling along without an overcoat and blue and pinched with the cold The twain were conversing and theman the theman theman man with the box handed it to the theother theother theother other pointed to the doorway of the k Quick Quick Quick- open open I he he be cried to the servant just juet setting the chain on the Inside The music musio room I uttered Merwyn excitedly and hurried thither thith er cr turned on the light switch and mansion and aneS passed on His HIli messenger proceeded proceeded pro pro- U up p the e steps which Merwyn Merwyn Mer bier wyn mounted mo also It was in time to see a servant open the door and to hear the other sayi say A present for Mr Worthington to be opened tomorrow I Oh of course that smiled the servant taking the box I will place placeit it with the other gifts girts Ah Ah Mr Merwyn Merwyn Mer Mer- wyn and the servant stepped aside to admit him for or Miss 1 Worthington said filer Mer Merwyn wyn handing his gift gut t to the other His gift was a picture he had painted and with it was a letter e e e A 1 S Slowly Merwyn descended the steps He paused f for r a few moments on the pavement to take a last at the home that held so much for him A slinking figure approached him hl from the shadows Mister he stammered Im lm poor and I 1 need the gold coin a man gave me for delivering a box to that house tonight but butAh but to Ah I remember observed Mel Diet Merwyn wyn recalling man and circumstance A gold coin is so rare for a trifling service resumed the other that 1 was wall suspicious Then again I 1 didn't like the face of the man who gave it to me I 1 followed him He met some others like himself I heard him laugh over an explosion about midnight Great heavens ejaculated M Mer Merwyn r r. r wyn comprehending and was up the e steps In a flash L n m made de a dash for forthe Y V the table He remembered the shape und and size of the box His eyes made Dade out one corresponding to it Merwyn gave lave it a fling ding through the window there was a flash and outside a detonation that shook the house houss Some flying object thudded against his bis head and he fell feU to the floor It was Christmas day when he open opened d his eyes He lIe lay upon a couch pulled directly under the chandelier Daylight was streaming into the room The wrecked window frame was wa's bar bar- His JUs head was bandaged and seated at a little distance was Esther Oh I am so glad she ehe cried as she he opened The surgeon surgeon an and papa hapa- hapa he be he says you saved us all and that you are a hero And the beautiful picture you Intended for me me-It me it was vas riddled with window glass but but I I found the tho letter Why did you write so no sadly because Because because feared I-feared I to write all aU the truth Merwyn confessed The man who warned you told us ua enough to have us guess the truth spoke Ethel confusedly changing the tile subject and then than then she followed d the tile glance of Merwyn Ills eyes rested on the mistletoe right over his head Why this is Christmas morning sure enough fluttered Esther and we are the first first first- Ethel spoke Merwyn Irresistibly I 1 love you l His arms were lifted towards herand her herand herand and a world of pleading was in his longing eyes She did not hesitate Their lips Ups met that strangely beautiful Christmas morn under morn under tho mistletoe |