Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-12-21
THE NAN IN THE SHADOW.


IL was bitterly cold that night. The
wind swept furiously down the LONG
avenues, sending the light snow. thai
had just ceased 10 fall. living hitber
and thither through the air, sweepino
u from ono side of the street and pilinS
" up with mcthodical carefulpess on
inc other; driving IL in long, feathery
uriits from the housotops and busting
u down the nccks Of Unfortunate Pc
uestrians In spite Of their closely-but-
toned coats and turned-up collars. All
shiyercd % they came 90 that corner.
ana thoa with half-averted heads hur-
ried past into the more sheltered street
beyond. The Man in the Shadow
rrrouched closer yet into the archway of
Tho big bank building and looked curl
Ously out'on the passing throng.
Everybody seemed TO be- anxious 20
get homo-as who wouldn't be In such
woathorp-but that was no reason why
everybody should look so happy and
rxpectant over such an ordinary event.
lhen, too, by another extraordinary CO.
Incidence, everybody seemed provided
with bundle or package Of some sort
and such packages! Whitey-brown
parcels, tied up snugly, mysterious in
Their every aspect; brown paper par
rels whose very folds breathed n de-
hghttul suggestivcness Of turkey and
pudding; smooth. trim packages with
Sleek, wcll-rOunded stiles, thoroughly
conventional and respectable; broken.
usreputable ones, with perchance n
skate-strap or n china dolls head peep
Ing out, and thus basely betrayinp lis
owners secrets; long ones and short
ones, little packets that could be car
ricd In tho waistcoat pocket. and valua-
bic, no doubt. in inverse proportion Ia
their size, and big bundles tightly bound
with manifold shawl-straps and proving
utmost too much for their STRUGGLING
owners. Everybody that was anybody
seemed passing that particular corner
that particular night and carving
everything that could be bought in the
city.
The Man in the Shadow looked puz.
zled. Across the way the door of n
shop opened, and little girl, with long
tair hair flying out from beneath her
red worsted hood, came running over
The crossing. But the ground was
slippery, and the rash little adventures
suddenly disappeared into the bic snow
DRIFT beyond the curbStone. The Man
In the Shadow uttered n low exclama-
ton and, darting out, lifted her UP.
Oh! I've broken il she exclaimed,
anNlously pulling out something from
her tlny pocket. mo, il isn't either:
m so glad. It's for Christmas, YOU
Know. and I'm ever so much obliged TO
YOU Then, turning quickly around.
She sped away again.
"Of course that's what IL all means
christmas Eve muttered the man.
going back 10 his old shelter. "Much
good Il does me'--and he frowned as
he kicked the snow off his boots and
drew his thrcadbare coat yet more
closely about him. at Is growing late
and the crowd i getting thinner"
Suddenly tall figure closely en-
velopcd in n long ulster hurried past.
The slouched hat was pulled low down
over the pedestrians forehead. but ms
he came into the circle of light under
the iamp-post sudden gust of wind
lifted It OIL his head and sent it flying
ON ahead of him. The Man in the
shadow started and took n step for
ward rs though about to follow him.
. Pshaw, what n fool amt he said.
ms he Shrank back; las IL il could be
he-and even II IL were''--
Come, my man, move on; no loafing
around herel" met his ear, and Police
man Buffer looked in suspiciously upon
the crouching figure. He looked up de-
hantly and then, with gesture of
assent, stepped out into the street.
Zone of the Kind as III need watch
ing, remarked Mr.. Buffer, confidcn-
italy, to white-coatcd waiter who had
stepped out into the street for n moment
TO see what was going on.
"As desperate lOOkin' cove as ever
i seed said the waiter, who had not
seen him ut all; "but you'd better be
coming inside. It's mortal cold out
here and your coffee is about ready"
"Wot n fool I was TO let him stay
there so long" said Policeman Buffer.
regrctfuily. "How do / know but wot
he's been drillin hole under the lock
and pluggin' IL full Of blastin' powder
while | was up strcot?'
"Taint no call for YOU, Mr.. Buffer.
10 be THROWN yourself away invcstigat-
In, aud come TO think Of Il. he couldn't
have been doing anything like that for
he's been out and in from there dozen
times"
"Mebbe ought 10 have stroked him
of n little with the club" hesitated
Mr.. Buffer, caressing that fifth member
of himself fondly; but he's out of my
beat now, and anyway he's pretty sure
To be run I'm before morning." and
with this consolatory reflection he re-
tired.
Down the well-nigh deserted streets.
with head bent down and with rapid
steps, the man hurried along. Pres
emily he stopped and looked around
him. A toy-shop across the way with
brilliantly-lighted Show-windows caught
his eyes, On the pane was lettered in
evergreens Merry Christmas. Every
where the same old story" he muttered,
impatieutly, land il seems can't get
away from IL. don't want TO hear the
Christmas bells-who would, with such
echoes ringing in his cars? l kept my
last Christmas Eve Just ten years ago.
ana don't care about trying IL again. -
lne icy wind was sweeping down colder
than ever, and he began TO feel strangely
numb and bewildered. Half despair
ing. aud yet with an odd sense q happi-
ness. he sank down upon n flight of low.
broad steps and leaned his head AGAINST
the oalnstrade. Across the street nc
could see some one dressing Christ
mas tree some one with cherry ribbons
IN her hair--and no smiled as hs
!anguidly. tried 10 guess who Il Nigh
pei tnen 40 smiled again ~ he oountot