Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17

Al the SnugSeTy OIL tue I'M I1oiueE aiiu
daughter sat together. SEWN. on Katey's
wedding dress. They were Chatting cheer
fully. according to the promise OF there
being no tears at the girls wedding. The
snow was falling; the night was very cold
katey peeped from the window.
Don't you find 1t dull without Jack.
mother dear?" she said. perhaps Capt.
But Christmas eve passed. and Captain
Guest did not come. Mrs. Holloway did
not disguise her disappointment.
HE is such an old friend" she said, "and
on this night of all nights in the year.
thought he would call upon u.s."
Katey looked at her mother Quizzicaliy,
and bent over her and whispered N her
ear
Mother" she said, "do you know We
have made a very pretty wedding dress,
but we might do still better with practice.
How nice it would be to practice next upon
yours
"Katey," cried Mrs Holloway. and she.
too, found it needful to run to the window
and peep out at the weather. The snow
was falling heavily now, and it was quite
dark, with a heavy clouded sky. The inn
had never before seemed so isolated. The
silence without was utter. Even the waves
upon the beach rolled in with leaden noise
lessness. Katey went to the piano. 1t was
natural she should choose Jacks faNorite
song. Soon the soft notes of her voice
stole through the house:
Itch weiss nicht was soil es bedeuten,
Das ich SO traurig bin"
She merely touched the instrument with
her fingers, and her voice was very low
and gentle. The song, fullest of yearning
and regret, and sweetness OF all songs
sounded with profound tenderness, in the
mothers ears. Suddenly Katie stopped and
looked at Mrs. Holloway. The Dolly of old
days was gazing with sad eyes far beyond
the room, beyond the inn, beyond the beach,
| and the eyes were filed with tears.
Mother" cried the girl, kneeling at her
side. "fOrpiVe mel 1t thOuEntlGSS OF
me to sing that. 1 know how it affected
you on the night of the storm. You are
not nervous again tonight. are you. pet?'
II don't know" Dolly murmured,
catching at her chiid's hand. Il am not
nervous, but 1 feel the same curious sensa-
ton of sadness and forebodinS. 1t Is stu
pid of me, ] know, when we should be
happy-Christmas and your wedding both
coming. Yeti know not what has hap
pened that 1 should be so sad"
Il know what is going to happen" cried
katey. You're going to have tumbler of
mulled port and go straight to bed See,
it's late, and Maggie went to bed long ago"
Shortly afterward Dolly kissed the girl
good night on her pillow, and went to her
own room.
With soundless lips the snowfiakes kissed
the earth, and kissed the sea, dying on the
kiss. 1t was cold on the beach. None of
the villagers were abroad that bitter Christ
mas eve, but from some of the cottages
came voices of merrfnlent, and in the little
lonely church at the far end service was
being performed, the midnight service. The
tiny organ piped its best and the fisher
folk sang and prayed of forgiveness of sin
and peace and good will on earth to all
men.
To all men? Could there ever be forgive
ness for such as these, creeping over the
snow in the shadows of trees and fences?
Could there be such a thing peace and
good will in the hearts of men like these,
cursing the cold, cursing their luck,
cursng their fellow-men?
They crept softly on with the velvet feet
of wild cats. 1t was almost midnight now
and they were close to the inn. A light yet
shone from a window on the top of the
house
"Confound it, muttered Holloway. who
is awake so late? l can't wait much longer
I'll be frozen to death. Let's try it right
away"
The other shrugged his shoulders, and
soon they were beneath the windows, creep
ing about, feeling their way.
"Oh. rot.' said Holloway again: wed
better smash in at once. You said there
We're only three women. l wonder what
they are. anyhow. You're dead sure there's
money!
The fisherman who talke muche say
plenty"
Didn't hear their names, did your"
mo media names"
True enough. If we can only raise
enough here, Wen be far on our way west
by morning. It's chance but there's moth
ing else to do. Come on-this is pantry
window, l guess
ScT-Sn. NUdCS Cnat
There came from villageward a crunching
of hasty, stumbling feet on the road.
"A drunken fisherman" said Holloway.
"W:itr
I've waited long enough. Do you want
to freeze to death? Come on"
For an instant there was silence. Then a
window glass fell in fragments on the snow.
Holloway passed into the inn The APP
preaching feet sounded more loudly and
nearby. One voice hailed another.
Waltz called the Cuban Come back"
Come back be blowed!'' a fierce voice
snarled from within. Il tell you it's a
He interrupted his own words by giving
a horrible yell, as, on the instant. a pistol
cracked inside the house. The Cuban fled.
A moment later old Ted Guest and David
Copeland Numbered at the door-Ted with
cut and bleeding head and raging eyes.
The door was opened. and the captain ran
straight into Dolly Holloway. who carried
pistol.
Are you hurt?" he cried.
mo, no. she answered, trembling. but
firm. 81 could not sleep, and heard noise
at the pantry window. 1 have to protect
Katey and Maggie, you know, and sleep
with a pistol l think-Im afraid l hurt
the burglar
Guest rushed on and found him PROSTATE,
the man who had so strangely been thrown
by fate at his wifes door, at the inn on the
beach. Dolly followed, but Guest met her
before she saw and led her back.
Don't look, please" he said
do you know who it is?'
yes" said Guest, softly.
'Why do you look so? Oh, have l killed
him? Is he dead?"
Yes, dear, he is deadr'
Dolly was sobbing now, and shaking
at was for Katey's sake she cried, hys-
terical1y. Il had to protect her. Poor
man! Oh, the poor man! But, Ted it was
my duty-say it was my dutyr'
Yes, dear, yes said the skipper, tender
iy, ut was your duty"
The wedding, that was to have been so
merry, between Jack Beaumont and katey
Holloway had to be postponed, for the
landlady of the inn was very sick after her
adventure with the burglars. When she
was better she insisted upon the youngsters
being married at once. when the skipper
| who had been merely stunned and little
cut by the pistol blow. gave away his old
sweethearts daughter. When the lovers
got back from their honeymoon they found
an amazing thing had happened Dolly
Holloway's hair was almost white, and
she was married to Ted Guest What had
passed between them neither said, but we
may draw our own conclusions No word
! has passed the lips of either to say how the
skipper ever told Mrs. Holloway whom it
was that she shot that Christmas eve
when burglars broke into the inn on the
beach.