The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-25
Our Daily Short Story

anotner 8lrI or taking her out in his cutter pending the receipt or failure of that telegram he had requested. There was something in that refiec- | ton that gave her Q solemn look as she fixed her eyes again on Puggis. DO you suppose ne wouldr' she l said in grave speculation. Puggie parked in tentative, uncer- | tain way. Evidently he had had ex- pertence with men long enough to bs the victim Of doubts concerning their probable action in any given circum- stance.
 Did that miscellaneous pocket per- chance contain telegraph blanksY She plunged her hand in and drew forth . familiar little yellow paper. On 1t she wrote:
 Call answered. Do not sign lease."
 Over on the plateau of Grasslands the snow was sparkling under the De- cember stars and the icicled branches of the trees were cracking in the keen December wind.
 MT. Olds sat by his ofice table with a paper spread before him. From time to time he looked at 1t with . frown and finally gave 1t Q shove which sent 1t to the wall on the other side of the table, where 1t stood up straight and stiff and seemed to glare at him revengefully.
 T shall not sign you" he said with grim decision.
 Then he fell to wondering If he had asked. He had cherished no hope when he had made the request. He had flung 1t out as drowning man might throw out his arms as he went down the last time. The telegram would not come, but neither would he darken his Christmas eve by signing . bachelor quarters lease.
 It was not . cheerful Christmas Eve. To be sure, he had secured that piece of land out in the suburbs and when it had been divided into lots 1t would be a valuable addition to the town, and MT. Olds would scoop in a million on 1t. He remembered Jim Bolter's malig- nant expression when he learned that he was too late. Jim had been his com mercial rival ever since he came to Grasslands. He had never gone into anything that Jim had not fought him for. Neither could he remember a | time when he had not won in the fight. That was a pleasing reflection, but the thing was getting monotonous. Jim was not one to accept defeat generously and amiably. The deal had not been entirely concluded. He was to pay the | ing after Christmas. In the meantime, If anything should happen to him Jim could close in on the land. It was said that things sometimes did happen to people whose timely disappearance would leave something desirable in the hands of MT. Bolter.
 l The thought drifted idly through wilrs fancy. The telegram was what filled his heart and mind. Would 1t come? He wentNo out into wide wintry space. He crossed the street and stood for a moment looking far off across | the white carpet of snow. He raised his arms toward the silvery flame of stars. What a wonderful wide white world it was. Would the telegram | come?
 He did not see the dark form that crept in while he looked eastward across the snowy world. It had entered his door and gone into a dark passage that opened into an inner corridor.
 Will went in and closed the door and stood looking out of the window. His back was toward the dark passage where the crouching form waited.
 There was a bound of light feet through the snow and the ofIice door swung open to admit a boy in the uniform of a telegraph messenger. Will turned to meet him with a wild hope beating at his heart. But the boy sprang across the room and threw him self against the opposite door. closing 1t with a bang. As he did so a pistol shot sounded from the corridor. fol- lowed by the fall of heavy body.
 He was about to shoot you." said the boy. The door knocked the pistol down and 1t has shot him. Stand here and I'll run for a cop." l The messenger ran out and in a mo- ment was back with two policemen, who dragged the man from the corri- dor.
 He's only winged. sir" said one, and stunned with the surprise of 1t. We'll take care of him.
 As they took him out Will recog- nized him as the man who always hap pened to be somewhere near when things happened to the people who stood in Jim Bottoms way. The boy perched upon a desk chair and watched the exit with absorbed interest.
 'Is that all you came for?" asked Will.
 Recalled to a business point of view, the messenger thrust his hand into his pocket and extracted a yellow envelope.
 No; come to bring this. LOT sakes, | IF this hadn't come for you you'd a been a deader. sure"
 Will tore open the envelope and read l Kathryn's message. Then he took a gold piece from his pocket and turned | to the boy who was waiting for a pos- | sible answer.
 Do you happen to know any young gentleman in the messenger line of business who would like this for a Christmas presently"
 Know him like a book. Thanky, sir"
 When the boy had gone Will took the unsigned lease and slowly tore it into four pieces and dropped 1t into the waste basket.
 The bells rang out twelve strokes clear and soft against the white night. Then they pealed out a glad Christmas carol that seemed to fill the world with melody.