Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-20

ling on. Tom called, but she did not
hear, the train was making way to re-.
sumo its trip. Tom stepped off and
hurried toward her. but by the time he
had caught up With her and bestowet!
tho. package on her the train was wei!
would have boarded It in motion had IL
not been for the sharp cry from the
pretty young woman standing nearby.
please don't" she begged. You
might get hurt or something. It's very
dangerous
he turned with a reprovins.. amused
glance at the young woman who Ind
I'm sorry" she said contritely. 1T
was my fault that you missed 1t. but
X you had fallen or hurt yoursel II I'd
always have blamed myself. And now
you'll have. TO- wait half hour for
another train.'
Tom Wade assured her that It made
no difference. And that was an un.
many last minute Christmas prepara-
tions for him to attend to. lie was
vaguely reminiscent Of this. but he was
more alert to the fact that Fate had
played him rather kind turn to leave
him standing here at the station IN
Millbrook with the prcttiest young
woman he had ever seen.
feel as II I ought to do something
to help you home," snid the girl, But
both Of our cars are celebrating the
holidays by being in the shop for re.
pairs. I'd insist on sending you on
to Glenville II I could--and the station
taxis are all OUT
Tom insisted thnt he was perfectly
content to wait for the next train and
stood bowling as she started walking
of toward her home, more than a liz.
tie disappointed because she had not
asked him for his name or suggested
that he call on her some time. 1t
would have been an appropriate re.
ward, he thought, for the pains he had
been TO to pick up her packages.
The train was delayed md Tom Wade
was three. quarters Of an hour Int In
reaching Glenville. He had just time
to reach home before the dinner hour.
did you get good tree?' de.
manded his married sister Susan, with
whom he was making his temporary
home. Toms foce registered surprise
nnd contrition.
II forgot all about It. I remember I
was going to stop In the village on the
way home. But III go as coon az we
get through dinner"
Susan looked reproof. II hope it
won't be too late. They were going to
hold one at Smiths for you to call for
1t with the car. But told them you'd
be there by 4. You can't get back
until 7 now. And the children simply
must have tree. I've everything to
decorate 1t with. I've wanted to start
dinner"
Tom made short shrIft of dinner and
then started to the village in the fam
lly car. There were no trees left ut
Smiths. They had held one until s
for Mrs. Jones, but had had to sell It.
Other shops in Glenville reported the
same denrth of Christmas trees. There
seemed not to be an available Christ.
mas tree in Glenville. Tom thought
sister. Il may may be- 'ae little itlTneu iate." e he
said. "but depend upon it, I'll bring
home a tree"
Then Tom went to the hardware
store; all the stores In Glenville were
open till II on Christmas eve. There
he bought q sizable AK and an elec.
trio fiashlight. With these he got in
to his car and started out country
ward. 1t didn't much matter which
way he went, ne thought. but once on
tho highway he took the direction
where the trees and shadows seemed
the thickcst.
He went for about seven miles. ;tlriv.
Ing slowly and peering out on both sides
of the road as he went. He reached
stretch Of road especially lonely. On
one side wns high bluff, on the other
stretch Of land apparently deeply set
with small trees. Tom parked his car
nt the side of the road, made short
shrift Of barbed wire fence and found
himself by the aid Of the fashlight in
a grove Of young conifcrs. As far as
Tom went he did not know one tree
from the other. They we're all ever.
green's to him.
Finally he singled out vigorous
young pine. about 200 feet in from the
road. 1t was about 10 feet high. with
straight. stout trunk. Tom had
never chopped down a tree before. but
the task did not prove beyond his |
strength. The trying part Of. the pro-
ceedings was that each blow of the
ax seemed to set the woods ringing
with echoes. Tom felt distinctly like |
a thief, but he had weighed the matter
thoroughly in his mind and had de.
cided that II was better 20 oe a petty |
thief on Christmas eve than to permit |
three enger young children to b. dis |
appointed. Hc would have remembered |
the tree hc ssu rod him self bod ~ ,nt