The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-25
The Story of the Bizarre
Christmas That Was Borne
In on the Wings of
Storm and Peril.

Storm and Peril.
n RARTHA CARTER and her brother
M Thomas had stayed late At the camp.
lvl Martha to get some studies of late
sutumn foliage. Thomas for the hunting. but
hey had meant to be back in town for Christ
mas with the family. because Helen, the
married one, was to be thaA, showing of
hsr hushand and tvo perfestfy good babies
nsvsr before exhibited IN ths east. 30 Mar
Ia and Thomas would, nst hGvs ma.ssd
CHRISTMAS It hsnns for anything.
ne hsa was that thsy vSah lssvs o. tbs
Affeenth and motor down Yoa got such
rfpp4ng scenery By ths ~ and there
want enough NOW to matter; the roads
vers stfn good. Anyway Martha wanted 10
- the NOW on the mountains q q climax
70 her autumn's work. Tbey might even
stop for a sketch or two
But The valley folk thought them pretty
r.ah 70 put OF their going 20 long. And. as
Martha Oily dalned through the sixteenth
and seventeenth Thomas himself began TO
tret She wanted to finish something. Mar
thas way! It was the twentieth before she
woke up, and they did not actually start until
the twenty-third. Martha was three years
older than Thomas and had ruled him from
infancy, even after he shot up to six feet
leaving her somewhere in the foothills Of
stature-hve feet two three. But almost
-almost-he threw OF her yoke that day.
She said unconcernedly. looking up at the
ouinous blahk Wilderness Of the sky, that it
would be all the nicer to get home just on
Christmas eve
Thomas said nothing. He merely threw in
hs clutch and leaped forth upon the high
way with temper and haste.
Hiram Harvood said it would be all right
soon we got through the pass" said
Martha That's the only place where the
drifts are likely to be bad"
Thomas said nothing.
The pair OF them were IS fuzzy as bears
In their furs, as coy as II they were about
to hibernate. and the car was as large as
GrnaH house. glassed in and padded every
where. What space was not taken by the
hamper for Marthas extensive picnickins
A1Q oy uoF COru OF 50 OF C8QFdscS anu lncAI
two yalises was stuffed with the real Christ
greens they were taking back to the
niece and nephew. They even had a beau
t1ul little spruce tree on top. supposed TO
be superior In some way b q tree bought
in the city.
I'm glad we waited said Martha 'eoua-
bly,. Its going to be perfectly ripping.
hope it does snow"
Thomas said nothing
wen get to the pass about luncheon
time. won't WEI" she asked as she curled
down. yawning She had worked late with
her delayed packing and was sleepy.
MIN" said Thomas. He was not In
. Christmas spirit at all.
And then. as Martha pleasantly drifted
into a map. the snow began to come. Very
softly. the individual flakes falling with
teathery slowness yet the general irnpres,
SION Of the whole was of tremendous swift
n.ss. Thomas set his jaw and went full
speed ahead.
II was two hours before Martha woke. At
hrp she smiled. the thick wilderness WAS so
lovely Then she sat up straight With
half guilty frightened smile. Her eye wa.
caught by the yellow curve of Thomas
znrwshoes where they showed above her
massed greenery. She had been openly
scornful when he had griniy piaccd them
thsre instead OF leaving them at camp as
usual. Now-welHshe looked from them 20
tie storm. bit her lip. md hi'-shed. Still.
they were entering nov bctv-sn the high
gray walls Of the pass. Tee r.ad must sZill
be good And If Thomas seoo%-<L
Thomas was scoottnS, all right
Two inches OF snow IN the open nay be-
come something very difr-r.rt when ca.xht
between two cliffs marching sSouSssr TO
shouder for a mile % vxh h. >iy room
for a road to squeeze s-tv-en And two
riches top OF two ipche. makes tour
inches. Thomas stopped
A beautiful. mocon3es. curvtox WV q
feet high and the wind. p-~eu sw-<~~
those gray walls was srn Hy rRs It.
What It would become by ptk,s& -e1-e wSr,ie
begin to close town In Two hss-S-whv cvuld
prenct7 Even as II w. It was enough,
quite enough
Thomax looked at II. Martha looked at It.
Thomas did a mean and cruel thing. He
took his hands from the wheel. LIT q cigar.
and. having pulled q newspaper from his
pocket, leaned back in . carcfree attitude
and began TO read
Darn you. Toni" cried Martha, twisting