Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
CHAPTER XIV, (eoninued)

90 then another - and another Billy
looked up at the great clock in the
Metropolitan Tower. Midnight. Christ
mas Eve was over.
merry Christmas. Connie he said
slipping his arm around her snouloers'
She reached up and kissed him.
Merry Christmas, Billy
He turned to Alice, drew her close,
and kissed a face that was wet with
melted\snowf1akes.
Merry Christmas, ALICE!
Merry Christmas
And then the sisters stood for min
ute. their arms about each osher, their
cheeks touching, their lips whispering
merry Christmas"
Why not? 1t was their tree, as much
as anybody's. And they would have
kissed each other at Christmas, no
matter where fortune might have
found them.
Constance felt light hand on her
arm and. turning, looked down into
the big eyes of child. The girl was
not more than twelve. yet her face
seemed strangely old for her small
body. It was framed in shawl, and it
smiled I'D at Constance in a spirit OF
comradeship.
IL came out to see the tree ven
tured the child.
ITS beautiful, isn't it?'
Eyes, ma'am. And IL
"Yes?"
Il was just watchin' you, ma'am, an
the gentleman, an the other lady
The child paused and smiled again,
this time in manifest confusion.
"And why did you watch u.s." asked
Constance gently.
II was watchin' you say Merry
Chris mus"
"Oh,"
"An' was wonderin' if
Once more the voice faltered, but
the smile persisted.
Constance stopped down, took the
small face between her hands, and
kissed it.
did | guess right?" she whispered.
Eyes, ma am. That was it. Merry
Chris mus! Now I'm goin' home,
ma'am. We've amt got tree"
"And we haven't any, either, dear
said Constance gently
The child starde in unbelief, then
turned and started to hurry away.
wait, please" called Alice.
She was fumbling with chilled
fingers in small purse.
"Merry Christmas" she said, thrust
ing something into the child's hand.
The little girl stared down into her
palm and hesitated.
az didn't mean that" she said
"But you will-just to please me"
said Alice in a voice that was not very
steady.
"why-yes, ma'am. An Merry
Cris'mus!"
The little girl with the shawl ran off
into the night.
The three Brookes watched the
small figure until the darkness blotted
it out, then looked At each other, and
then for a last time at the tree.
Lets co. said Billy, linking arms
again.
The ycrossed the square into Broad
way walking in silence until a1ter
several blocks had been covered in the
fllying snow. Billy began to whistle an
inconsequential little tune.
Lets eat" he said presently. BRING
ink his sisters to an abrupt stop in
front Of a window, where man with
a white cap was busy turning pan.
cakes
Gan we?" asked Constance eagerly
sure" he answered grandly.
50 they ate pancakes and drank
eteaming coffee, and discovered that
paper napkins are rather clever In
vention. And then cat again into
white Christmas.
ANY body got any money!" asked
Billy, as they paused on the sidewalk.
Mines gone" II
~ gave mine to the little girl" said
Alice
"And l didn't have any" confessed
Constance.
The Brooke children looked at eacn
ether and laughed.
'Then it's for walk" announced
Billy.
"Of course" chorused Constance and
Alice contentedly.
q they walked up Broadway, cling !
~ tightly to each others arms.
In the library of the Brooke man |
sion the efficiency man was pacing the !,
floor. He was nervonse, and, therefore
It was for him an extraordinary &C.
casion. Frequently he glanced at the
slowly ticking clock, comparing it with
his watch, as though to make quite |
sure 1t were long past midnight.
He wished he had obeyed his i'm
pulse of hours ago, to go in pursuit OF
his three charges. A heavy sense OF
responsibility sat upon him; he was
becoming worried. Now and then he !
stepped to a window and pushed aside
the curtains, staring out at the storm.
The whirling snow did not give him
any comfort.
He rang bell and. to his surprise,
Matilda answered instead of Horace.
Where is Miss Brooke he de-
manded.
81 don't know" answered Matilda ici-
". She purposely omitted the Sir
H. Hedge was unconscious of the
fact that he had neglected to make
his question inclusive. 1t seemed quite
natural to have nobody but Constance
in mind
did she wear her new hat" he ask
ed irrelevantly.
II don't know
He shook his head in annoyance.
did she say when she would be
40