The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-12-23

ton, the assurance that his life in
the west had cleaned the blot from his
escutcheon. She began to busy herself
about the room, pinning sprigs of
Christmas green on the hangings. $40
you remember how we used to dec
crate together?" she asked him.
''Do I?' he said. Don't you let the
servants do it yet?"
mo" she laughed. It'd spoil the
fun. have to do it alone now"
ooh, 7 beg your pardon" he apollo
gized, coming over to her eagerly.
"Can I help your
"Weu," she said, off you haven't for
gotten how
"Forgottenr' he exclaimed. ST re-
member the proper place for every ber-
ry."
''Get the holly, then" she ordered
We'll have to hurry. They'll be in on
us in few minutes"
He brought the branches to her and
they went to work together, putting
twigs OF It among the bric-a-brac and
in the vases, dropping clusters over
the tops of the pictures and twining
them in the chandeliers and electric
brackets. She saw him smile with
something of his old boyishness and
was encouraged.
They stood in the center Of the room
at last and looked around at their
work 'T have one sprig left" he
said "Where can 7 put it?'
"There's not corner left" she said,
searching the walls with a most in
nocent eye. He could see none either.
"Why," she exclaimed. there's the
old place over the mantel.'
He looked up at the carving. ''I can't
reach it without ladder, even yet"
She measured his height with a
glance. "Stand on the. arm Of o.
CHAIR
with my weight?' he laughed.
She studied the situation. ''I'll do it
If you'll steady-the chair"
He drew over a corpulent chair Of
pulled upholstery. with an arm as
broad as a cushioned window seat.
She hoped into the ample seat of it
with show Of dainty slippers and put
her hand on his shoulder. You will
have to catch me if I fall she smiled
down on him.
He reached up and took her hand.
''Be careful he said and closed a
firm grasp on her fingers, which were
trembling despite herself.
| She stepped up, swaying, on the
arm; he held the chair with his knee
and handed sprig Of holly to her.
He had forgotten the four years that
had passed.
She Strengthened up slowly. ooh,
can't she said and fell back to him
again. "I'm afraid you can't hold
me-
He came around to the other side Of
her. "Put your hand on my Shout
der" he directed. 1t was the way they
had done it before. and he longed for
| the old touch. When she stood up on
| the arm Of the chair he put his arm
about her and held her there. She
reached the branch of holly into its
place in the carving slowly and then
lowered her hand to his shoulder
There were tears in his eyes He
took her fingers and put them to his
lips. Thanks" he said huskily.
She slipped down to him in a sud
den wave of weakness. ''Oh, Burn
side" she whispered, 'how-how you
frightened me!''
She was such little thing in his
arms. The blood choked in his throat.
Have you forgiven me?" he asked
quickly.
Her hand stole up. trembling to hut-
ter touch Of pity on his brown cheek.
Forgive you" she whispered. 81
forgave you the day you went away
and cried all night for you to come
| back"
He gazed into eyes that were swim
ming i'm tenderness. God bless you
he said to them-"dearest." to her
| lips.
~
The butler coughed I'm the hall. 1.-The
mistletoe has come. Miss Frances" he
announced.
Bring it in she cried. "We'l have
some on the chandelier"
"And piece over the mantel." Burn
side suggested slyly.
She looked at him with sidelonG
smile.-New York Commercial Adver-