Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-12-21

NAsIr9 He had been on his wa,
to San Francisco to spend Christina.
with his favorite married sister; ant
midway. in the most barren desert O
ythe country, bridge had been sweep
{ away by winter gales. His destina
ton could not possibly be reached IN
til Christmas was well II.
Wallingford cast d Z; = out owe!
the wide stretch Of roll :. il ms with
only few scattered sh, -: - tI;eak
their endless waste: as szua &c
looked back to his bulgi, z ease
The latest and most Wonderful toys
he could find In the city shops were
crowded into that bag. for his sisters
only boy. Then. not caring whether
or not highwayman might be locking
In at the window of the parlor car,
he took small box from his waist
coat pocket and looked sorrowfully
at a ring from which three exquisite
diamonds flashed back at him.
Wallingford leaned back in his
chair and in imagination pictured his
sisters joy when slipping that ring
on her finger. He could hear her
scold him for his extravaganza and
chaff him for having no one else for
whom to buy such baubles. He sighed
and returned it to his pocket much
as Ise might have cast it to the depths
CT the sea; it would do him as much
good there as it would in his pocket
under the present circumstances
Wallingford was reconciled to g.
Christmas dinner over a lunch coun-
ter when his eve caught the name Of
Yankyille. Yankville probably boast
ed nearthousand inhabitant yet
Yankville also suggested the name Of
Everly-Jaek Everly. When Walling-
ford had last heard of Jack EVERY
the latter was located in Yankville
That was some eighteen months be-
fore, but there was no reason why he
should not be there still
lit seemed that everyone in Yank-
wife knew the Eyerly homestead II
was the only one Of any proportions
in the village
The red glow from an open fire
within cheered Wallingford's numbed
faculties as he rang the bell at the
Everly door.
On the face OF her who opened the
door. surprise WAS the principal ex=
-IiNession. Fer Walingford. his six
feettwC encased IN a great fur coat
all dangling with glistening snow
beads and his handsome glowing face
looking frankly into her own. was a
surprise for any eyes
She did not wait for him to explain
his erfand but With the matron's priv
ilege of hospitality invited him into
the warmth of the house
1T was too cold to stand outside
she explained and waited for his
question.
Il am Bob Wallingford, he began
meeting the easy cordial expression
OF her blue eyes. Il am one of the
belated passengers of the bridge tie
up and decided 10 run over and see if
Jack Evefly would take pity on an
old friend and
. Jack EVERY left Yankville." a
smile played about her lips at men
ton of the illustrious village, some
six OF seven months ago"
Embarrassment, disappointment and
surprise mingled equally in Walli,.g-
#ford's face and did not escape the
eyes OF Sylvia Vale. She spoke with
ready tact.
Take off that great coat, anyway,
srd come into the fireside. It's ne
plight to be out
Wallingford followed - sim gray
clad figure in decidedly chaotic
state of mind. Mingled With his en-
barrassment at having walNed into
an absolute strangers house AS tho
sudden attraction he felt for lis girl i
with the sun-lit hair Something-the I
combination perhaps-was making him
feel like tongue-tied schoolboy II I
was most unusual state of mind for |
Bob Wallingford.
There was patter of little feet |
and tiny boy of three years threw
himself into Wallingfords arms.
"Oh-h! Are you Santa CLAUSE" he
cried gleefully. Il heard your sleigh
bells and saw your big fuzzy coat.
Mamma, isn't he Santa CLAUSE
The child's mother would have
spoken but Wallingford's eyes plead
ed for silence
eYou young rascal! You caught
old SANITY this time, didn't you? And
he came especially to find out what
you wanted him to bring down the
chimney
s. =
"Wallingford! How In the name Of
all that's possible did you get here4"
Dick Elkins, an old chum Of New
York days, stood in the doorway and
held out glad hand Of welcome.
A weight Of relief fell from Walling.
f0rd's shoulders. He was no longer .
strange. In arrange house. And did