Show Xa catherine therine II 11 del man ON CARLTON gripped the wheel tightly as the car plowed a zig zag path through the mire of the country road what a foot fool he had been to allow himself to bo be talked into taking the short cut between webster and holton I 1 but lie had been in such a hurry to get back to chicago to join with the crowd in welcoming in the new year if only he had bad made sufficient inquiry he could have found out about this awful detour lie he thought there were any roads left that were quite so bad and he have foreseen the quick and annoying thaw that had set in down the steep grade the big car careened now on one side of the road now on the other he hold it to the ruts it got more and more beyond his control every minute until finally the left rear wheel slid into the heavy threefoot three foot bank at the side bide don made a sound that was almost a groan ile he was beyond speech for the moment could anything be worse marooned in the dark on a country road and on new years D evel ve I 1 As hungry as a hawk without even a sandwich to bite on haug hang it all anyway 1 why he used a little common sense stumbling out of his seat he stood upon the running board for a moment there seem to be a thing that he could do the heavy night was all around him and there probably a house within miles but there wast wasl for the friendly friend ly light of a christmas candle was blinking at him from the window of a small cottage that stood back some distance from the road I 1 braving the sticky mud that made walking so difficult don approached the house and knocked 1 I I 1 beg your pardon parden for bothering you he said apologetically but my car got stalled out in front and I 1 11 1 I 1 I beg your pardon for bothering you thought maybe I 1 could use your telephone there was something likable in the face of the lad standing inside the door im sorry weve got no phone mister but but I 1 know mam would be glad to have you come in it you mam he turned toward a slender and charming dark haired woman as he spoke why of course she said with a smile were always glad to assist a stranger and and we can fix you something to eats eat and you can stay here until some one comes along to help you soon the appetizing odors of ham bam and eggs and coffee filled the room don inhaled the fragrance while he talked to the children he found the other three just as pleasant as the boy who had opened the door there was waa something especially likable about them all don did a lot of thinking while he ate the delicious meal his sharp eyes had taken in the situation at a glance there was poverty in the little home not the kind that shows itself to the world unashamed but the shabby refinement A few new toys of the cheapest kind were the only things to show that christmas had come to the little family he thought with a thrill of the package that lay under the back seat ot of his car ile he was glad now that a mistake had been made on the shipment n t to the nelson stores and they had asked him to bring the things into the factory branch for credit but instead of going to the factory branch he made up his mind that the contents of the package would remain in the dalton cottage and lie felt quite sure that he was going to have a lot more fun out of the thing he was going to do than he ever could have celebrating the new year with Us his bachelor friends in chicago an hour later after help had come along and while ho he was being towed to the highway there echoed in his ears cars above the plop plop of the horses feet the hearty thanks and good wishes for a happy new year tear that the dalton family had repeated with such sincerity and an d he felt that such good wishes must come true r bertera ultima |