Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-01-05
THE MAN IN THE SHADOW.


thither through the air, sweeping 1t from
one side of the street and piling it up with
methodical carefulness on the other, driy-
ing it in long, feathery drifts from The
housetops and dusting it down the necks
of unfortunate pedestrians in spite OF
their closely -buttOned coats and turned-up
collars. All shivercd as they came to that
corner. and then with half-ayerted heads
hurried past into the more sheltered street
beyond. The Man in the Shadow crouch
ed closer yet into the archway of the big
bank building and looked curiously out
on the passing throng.
Everybody seemed to be anxious TO get
home-as who wouldn't be in such wealth
er?-but that was no reason why every
body should look so happy anG expectant
over such an ordinary event. Then, too,
by another extraordinary coincidence,
everybody seemed provided with bundle
or package of some sort-and such pack
ages, Whitey-brown parcels, tied mp
snugly, mysterious in their every aspect;
brown paper parcels whose very folds
breathed delightful suggestiyencss OF
turkey and pudding; smooth, trim pack
ages with sleek, well-rounded sides, thor
oughly conventional and respectable;
broken, disreputable ones, with perchancc
4 skate-strap or a china dolls head peep
ing out, and thus baSely betraying its
owners secrets; long ones and short
ones, little packets that could be carried
in the waistcoat pocket, and valuable, no
doubt, in inverse proportion to their size,
and big bundles tightly bound with man
fold shawl-straps ana proving almost too
much for their struggling owners. Ev-
erybody that was anybody seemed passing
that particular corner that particular
night and carrying everything that could
be bought in the city.
The Man in the Shadow looked puzzled.
Across the way the door of shop opened,
and little girl, with long fair 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 big snow-drift beyond the curbStOne.
The Man in the Shadow uttered low eX-
clamation, and, darting out, lifted her
up. "Ohl I've broken ii, she eXclaim-
ed, anxiously pulling out something from
her tiny pocket. "No, it isn't, either;
Z, F,r nil
know, and I'm ever so much obliged to
you" Then, turning quickly around, she
sped away again.
"Of course that's what it all means
Christmas Eve" muttered the man, going
back to his old shelter. "Much good it
does me''-and he frowned as he kicked
the snow off his boots and drew his
threadbare coat yet more closely about
him. at is growing late and the crowd
is getting thinner"
Suddenly tall figure closely eHYeloped
in a long ulster hurried past. The
slouched hat was pulled low down over
the pedestrians forehead, but as lie came
into the circle of light under the lamp
post sudden gust Of wind lifted it of his
head and sent it flying on ahead Of him.
The Man in the Shadow started and took
a step forward as though about to follow
him.
'Pshaw, what tool am"' he said, as
he shrank back Gas il it could be he.
and even if it were'-
"Come, my man, move on; no loafing
around hercu" met his ear, and Police
man Buffer looked in suspciously upon
the crouching figure. lie looked UP def
antly, and then, with gesture OF assent,
stepped out into the street.
cone of the kind as II need watching"
remarked Mr.. Buffer, oOnidentially, TO
white-coated waiter who had stepped out
into the street for II moment TO see what
was going on.
GAS desperate lookin' cove as ever |
seed,'' said the waiter, who had not seen
him at all; "but you'd better be coming
inside. It's mortal cold out here, and
your coffee is about ready"
"Wot 3 fool ! WAS to let him stay there
so long" said Policeman Buffer, regret
fully. Glow do know but wot he's been
drillin' hole under the lock and plug
GIN it full Of blastin' powder while was
up the street,"
"Tain't no call for you, Mr.. Buffer, to
be throwln' yourself away investigator,
q, ipIf nf la n
been doing anything like that, for he's
been out and in from there dozen times"
''Mebbe ought to have stroked him or
a little with the club" hesitated Mr..
Buffer, cares:ing that fifth member Of
himself fondly; "but he's out Of my beat
now, and anyway he's pretty sure to DO
run in before morning." and with this
con,olatory reflection he retired.
Down the wcll-nigh deserted streets,
with head bent down and with rapid
steps, the man hurried along. Presently
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" Everywhere the
same old story" he muttered impatientlg,
"and it seems can't get away from it.
don't want to hear the Christmas bells
who would, with such echoes ringing in
his ears7 l kept my last Christmas Eve
just ten years ago, and don't care about
trying it again" The icy wind was
sweeping down colder than evcr, and lie
began to feel strangely numb and bewil-
dered. Half despairing, and yet with an