Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-12-26
-5caid be hard lt--it we could only take Lightfoot back home for good.

safe at home in the big double loo house that her grandfather had built. IL belonged to her mothers children. else would long ago have been swallow ed by those security debts her father was always making. Betty was infinite ly glad of this assured shelter, though her best friends had begged her to leave 1t, scatter the children about and give herself the distraction of new neigh borhood, but she had steadfastly refused.
 All through her fathers trial she had hoped against hope that his innocence would be miraoulously proved. He had said to her, Betty, l have done nearly all that was wrong to my paor children, but am no thief, and she had be- lieyed him. All through tho long day she had sat leaning forward, her eyes fast on the judge, the strange, stern judge of whom even the sheriff was afraid. He had not seemed to see her. but at the last there was a break in even his cold voice as he said, 'sTn con sideration of all the circumstances of the case, I sentence you to Imprisonment for three years, the shortest time allow ed by the statute under which you are convicted :"
 Then, when those about looked to see her faint, Betty had pressed up to whore she could touch her father and whisper in his ear:
 q believe in you just the same. Three years is not so long, and you shall find us all here when you come back. .''
 So you may guess what answer she made to her advisers. If they shook their heads, they let her take her own way. Tonight the way did not seem so hopelessly hard for all the stress and strain of the day
 We must believe, after this, in spe- cial proyidences " she said to Patty. ''To think how we got home Mr. Pel- lew's wagon brought all our bundles. It just happened to be coming our way, and nothing would do Uncle Billy Prot ter but to fetch us both to our gate in- stead of dropping us at the big road, two miles away. And then my moIey held out so. have bought all we real ly 5aa-shoes, froeks, sugar, salt, nails, spelling books, new hood for Marian, red tin cup for Tess-and have two whole dollars left for Christmas money, and $2 will buy such heap of things.
 Will pappy come home Christmas?" Tess asked, nestling her head against Betty
 "You little idiotl You know he won {, Marian broke out. q wish was where he is. " she sobbed 'eTom- my Adlin said today at school he wouldn t even dare to show his face here again; he was a jailbird "
 "I'u kill Tommy Adkin, " Trab shouted, hfs eyes flashing Marian laughed, though she was sobbing hard
 He won't say it again, she said, putting up her hand to hide long scratch on her cheek.
 "Hushl Somebody's comiD. Hear how Ring barks, Pete said, walking to front window. The curtains there were drawn, but at the back they hung so far apart it was easy to see from the outside the group in front of the fire
 Twas just some wagon passin. Old Ring Is a big story teller Patty said, -1oAing up ITUon ner HOW llngey rrock.
 AlG NOl L lGAl oLOlAtS. Alb 6A4Glia somebody sure, an he knows 'em, cause he barks in place O growlin, Pete returned, Tess sat up and pushed the yellow eurls ont Of her sleepy eyes, then broke iuto passion of weeping.
 "Pappy Pappy want to sec my pappy, oh, so bad ,
 Patty and Marian both caught her in c,t,E;,,r, ,-vSrOu f1l,a boys, too, were crying, but Betty had dry eyes. She had been through so much that day she was like one frozen.
 "Hush, dears, she said clearly. "It would kill father to see you now. Be brave fer him. It is all we can do "
 Trab held up hand for silence. "There must be somebody about , he said after a minute. "I heard walkin like somebody was tryin to step easy.
 "Ho! It's jest that old blue dawg O Toad Burley's. Wonder he goes, streak in it down tho front lot, /" Pete called from the window Outside there was brilliant moonsbiHe. The tree shadows lay in fairy lace upon the frozen earth.
 "Ah, hal He came after eggs and GllQu RGt u OiiGE atty aa4H tAAUAAA7 phantly T do hate a suck egg dawg. Wonder what does make Toad keep that ugly thing?"
 "He is not quite as ugly as his mas ter, " Betty said, laughing. I dare say both of them admire eaeh other. " Then she shook ter purse till the silver in 1t jingled and said, trying to speak gayly:
 Nov for q Christmas council Re- member, every body has one vote and majorities rule, '
 As the last word left her lips some thing came clattering down the big wide throated squat chimney and rolled to her feet. It was q round tin box, wire fastened and bearing upon one side bit of paper with the words, Not dangerous, ? Ia5oriously printed upon it.
 "Well this beats ell, everybody said in a breath Then Trab cried out, fI knew t4eIe was somebody, ami Marian began to plead "Oh, Betty, do open that
 T know how it got there. Somebody climbed up the big treo and threw it down from the limb that hangs over, " Pete said ; Trab undid the wire thrt bound the nd. He shook the box over Betty's lap, and five half eagles fe'l from it. They were wrapped in pap upon which some one bad written .tFor the chiIdren's Christmas. Make