Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-30

sky. Snowfakes fluttered slowly down
in the outer world, fell faster. thicker.
raced before the wind and battered
dryly against the windows.
Play cribf" asked Eben Rowe after
awhile.
Dellmore nodded and produced the
cribOage board and a pack of cards
from drawer.
All was silence again except for the
chop, chop. chop Of Wah Lee in the
kitchen. and dry patter of snow against
the pane and the muttered counting OF
the two men as they played.
Fifteen -four-six-and'-D Dell
more was counting when suddenly
there came a muf7ed thud against the
outer door, followed by a Gathering
crash on the veranda and shriIl, child
fish cries.
Without a word the two men sprang
to the door and tore 1t wide open. The
scene that met their astonished gaze
was a strange one indeed.
Half sprawled on the low veranda
was small horse. Crowded behind
him, the front wheels fitting on the
the gloom of the wagons interior glow
ed q small lantern hung high against
the inside. and from the wagon there
came the childish cries.
gerry drunk again" muttered Dell
more with disgust as he yanked out
the form OF sleeping man. from the
wagon seat. Jerry Mink dropped heav-
lily on the snow OF the veranda and
slept again, quite undisturbed.
Eben went around to the back of the
wagon, made inquiries and removed
from under the canvas flap a small,
slender woman, muftied and yelled and
shivering with cold and fright, and two
little boys. The two children he car
ried inside and set down before the
stove, and with a brief direction to the
woman to draw near and warm herself
Eben returned to the veranda and help
! ed Dellmore to throw blanket under
! the PROSTATE horse and presently to
get the animal upon his feet and of on
to the ground. One wheel of the wag-
on was broken beyond repair.
While Eben led horse and vehicle
out to the barn and put them up for
!
en- stage driver into peevish conscious
ness and drove him into the lean-to,
where there was an extra bed near
Wah Lees immaculate couch.
The partners having discharged these
duties reached the kitchen door togeth-
er and entered the house. Wah Lee,
unbidden, was making pot Of tea
and warming milk on the stove. Dell
more nodded approval and strobe to
the door of the next room. He stood
there as though paralyzed, and Eben
came and stood beside him.
The woman had removed her wraps
and muffling black veil and disclosed
small, dark eyed, pale face, above
which rippled soft black hair She
was warming the chubby fingers OF
the three-year-old twins. She seemed
very much at home there in this room,
and it was all the more strange be-
cause she had been living in the hearts
of the owners for many years. 1t was
Lucy Farr-Lucy Graham now.
She looked up and recognized them.
With little cry of delight she sprang
up and held out her hands.
You two-my old friendsw She
beamed upon them.
Silently, smiling stifly in each
others presence, the two men who
loved Lucy Graham came forward and
shook hands with her. 1t was simple
story she told. but very wonderful to
have happened to all of them that
Christmas eve.
She had married Graham and gone
to Ohio. He had died a year ago, and
she had failed In her efforts to sup
port her two children. A distant
bachelor cousin had offered them a
home on his ranch next to the one
Owned|by Dellmore & Rowe, and she
had been on her way there when
Jerry Mink had blindly driven his
horse almost into the door of the Dell
more ranch.
ITS twenty miles farther along.
You can't get there until some time
tomorrow" said Eben decisively. 'You
can stay here just as well as not One
l of us will ride over to the Falls and
get some Christmas for the youngsters
: in the moYu.ag."
'T'l CO." said Dellmore grufiy.
Lucy protested and then yielded
> gracefully. She talked a great deal
to Eben Rowe, but the twins climbed
on Dellmore's knees and went to
, sleep in his arms. AS his cheek was
laid against the chubby hands on his
shoulder and he felt the pressure of
the warm little bodies against his own
his heart melted within him and tears
came into his strong gray eyes. A
q great contentment filed his heart, and
i he looked upon the evident absorption
: of the man and woman with indiffer.
. ence. 1t seemed as though he could
look into the future.
He could see his partner married to
Lucy Graham, but the twins were al
Y ways close to him. TO Dellmore. They
would be his to adore, to make com.
u panions of. 10 love. The peace of the
: world filed his heart. at seems like
- Christmas again" he whispered tc
!, Eben Rowe, and Eben nodded happily