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the: Nets reached the top at the ‘ Divide only tint met-noon he saw the long-impending storm inst upon the point ot tire-king. None knew better than he the danger at Inev- ing the baton troll st such n time. He was within reach of the little but which he had built It the sum- mit so a rest-house. He could Ito there tor the night and he “to; or br taking his customfy troll. the easier one. he might perhnpe reach home, though only by - good fortune. But on this slternnte trail. the steep fitch down the Blaék Canyon-ah! there under a shelving rock was the little packet which he had left against Mary'a Christmas Eve, cached ten days ago when, belated and seeking the shortest way home, he had found even that slight weight on incum- bfsnce in making the Black Canyon ran tor the first time that \vinter. Aht- how he now wished he had carried It through or left it at the rest-house. He stood for a moment. his yellow hem"! mu of ice, in the full sweep in the icy wind at the summit of the pass Then he hitched his little rucksack higher on his shoulders . and turned up his coat collar. "Santa Claus skail hum!" he mut- tered and turned down into the canyon. . He made all speed until the storm caught him full: bat when the ii,rr,,it) white blankets of the snowsnua11l swept around him he was only tar' enough into the Black Canyon to make it difticuit for him to reas- cettd to the summit. He did not yet begin to worry over the situa- tion. He' only smiled contentedly in his trusted heard. under his snow-piled cap. as he dropped down into the stnrm. For now, sate In the little ruck-sack on his should- ers. was the Christmas 1mcvostl, which held Mary"s tritts-the doll. and the little hood, and some candy with red stripes. - But in his eargerness in unearth. ing his little Christmas packet Nels had forgotten fully to fasten one ski strap alter stonping down at the rock cave. Good ski-runner that WWW-«Wu -e't _ 'VI C A Rocky vmau'n. Santa , fig‘gagq ' "I s, Cider. . .' ' 'ikiie1."itlCiF,t:.5,iti,1it,'itcl:'/? A, V , tinnymhudvmq-Inu._ he was he kept his feet more by instinct than by plan, and he knew light straps were dangerous in I. tact drop. But the snow was moist) and hailed under his feet. Impatient- ly he kicked it tree-too impatient- ly. All at once there came on him. skilled man as he was, one of the most se'nns accidents of the moun- tain. His ski Mid sidewise in the snow. His foot. numbed a little. slipped from the toe strap. The ski. gliding forward and downward, sped away like a bird! (On-chad from but took) Horrified, Nels stood, supported by one ski and his snowshoe pole, looking down at the place where 'tte fugitive ski had disappeared, Glanc- ing and glinting like a gray-arts-eats, leaning lightly where it struck a tiny heap of snow, gaining tspeed) as it dropped down a slope, " sped on, glancing arrow-like in one ln- slant. tar beyond his view, and was lost in the “mm and the blackness or the forest. Nels uttered one swift exclamn-' tion of anger at his clumslnesa. Then he stood motionless. His breath came in a deep sigh as he looked about him. his honest (noel troubled tor the first time. Pri snow lay deep. white and nutty, with no carrying power. No man mum walk here without snow-i Rimes. Nels slipped his left foot out ot the remaining ski and dump-1 ed down on it. wallowing along oni his hands and knees the heat he could, trying to trace' the line ot the fugitive ski. He gave " up. He dared not leave the general line which he had followed in his trail. It meant death to drop down there Imam IIMIIIIIIHII.“ In the tangled. rack-piled totes! Man: the stream. He would drown In the snow down more mm» more he ttood erect and r (swim AAN-lk mar-M ARE YOU A SALESMAN OR SALES MANAGER? 'osuwnbqu-gmw Always nuke your bow to a new We: by " AtitnerrotaMii1Carrio-dtawitesthat bstiii'NdintheattimetttheRockies. WWI." - H. [In In in“ out ot the ma. n which mull! he ttnrrudo'rhuraath.ThqBznr" pot more. He numbered than 629»: m an n a home to “ch!- 11: the town ot " on“ Christ- tnat-et""'.'?""".", He It " " bolt end drew his stout-bladed um. Advuclns to I pine tree. 'rsethodieaiir, he ham to trim on none at the thicker brunch- " He W than into u bundle with " belt.’klched hll too under the amp ot the nyportlnx (not. and no he'pt on, whining downward I best he could. He must plod end plug nqw, end lift the full weight“ ot one toot utter the other. At length he stopped. pushed a" hand across hid eventing forehand and looked about him. Surely he was or! the troll. It must lie above him somewhere. Here he was on the edge at a. thick wood, and below him lay the rocks ot the little river- "Ay skull be Elle," mutterer Nels to himself stubbornly. "Ay ban late now'. How can I make it through?" Even yet he would not admit de- teat. The main feeling in his mind was regret that he had not " ax. With it he could have felled a tree. split out a slab. and made some sort of skl blade In the course of an hour or Bo. But now he must struggle upward toward the trail. a toot at I tune. The night was on him. He was begnnlng to tire. He had 110' ax. Yes, it was dangerous now. and Nels knew it well enough. And then came the one remaining thing to handicap beyond hope thp brave man whose courage had car. ried him on thus in. Stumbling wearily he felt, his left toot under) him in such a fashion that, ham- pered as he was by the clumsy bundle of bought; on his other foot. his weight strained it against the remaining ski strap as he plunged forward. his head and arms deep in the snow. Nels heard. as well as (felt, a bone snap in the arch ot the i foot. . He lay prone for a moment in' the dark there in the snow. the merciless wilderness about him. His pitiful Christmas pack undf hin. when he turned. he lay tor a time. wincing with the sudden pain and trying to adjust himself to what he saw was to be his fate. He re- solved only to live as long as he could. stubbornly. slowly, crippled as he was and frowning with the pain, he crawled and wallowed‘ down hill until he found himself ,wiihin the edge of the forest. By good fortune he came close to a (ii-lc:':? tree. Here he kicked oft his loot supports, heat “own a hole in the snow and, breaking oft some dried. resinous branches. began to Whittle tor himself a. little pile of kindling. He must have tire or he mutrtsperitstt. \Woodaman that he was, he was£ able to build a tire and to keep it; going Halt buried in the snow he' sat, his back unmet a tree, his broken toot the“ of him. He was faint. He began to chill. . . . He did not know how long he had been there before he heard. coming up the canyon from far below, the sound of [1 voice he knew well. His eyes kindled, he drew himself Lula. and through his own cupped hands shouted an answering hail. I',',':',,',",,': he called. "Oh, Hilda'. Ja! Kom hart" “Hello. Nels!" remarked Hilda M she wanted up the slope toward him as he at u the fire. “Hello, Hilda!" answered Nels calmly. "So. You kom." "Ja, Ay kom," replied Hilda sim- ply. She slipped down beside him, glowing, Ind freeing her feet stuck her skin upright in the snow. "What in. New" naked she. In answer Nell ruined his foot and moved it a little from side to side. "Broke," said he. And now her quirk ghnce show- ed her but one ski sanding beside In. a the fire. “must um I- ll tad, Net" she asked. and my ed to touch it. He nodded. "Ay cannot wit," laid he. Nt in bad. And 'tonight!" tthe threw herself on the mow be- side him. "Look out, Hilda! he cried. "No, but you must not Ill 1el my pack; it in Mary's Chris man in the pack. You 'i'/tiir5iiis"i1"ii'i'il or you'll hurt that doll; So, pretty ‘ooon you go down to Mary. She 'will be lonesome. She will say Santa Claus did not kom. What could we say toUatt So. You show her here iss Santa Claus-and the II. Wut it iss not me-not me, Hilda; you must be Santa Claus tonight. Mary will miss her papa." "Did I hurt you, Nels?" she can. "What you mean Hilda. "Always iss risk in the moun- tains. A man must die some day. But you skull carry the mails. Hilda; there iss no man in le mountains can do it so well. But I am sorry for Mary and myself, for so much I wanted to see her have her Christmas. You must go and be Santa Claus to her. Tell Mary I loved you both." "So you love me, Nels Ander- sen!" cried Hilda fierirely, brush- ing her heavy damp hair from her eyes. "Then what for you talk that way? I won't have it'. We bring now the Christmas to Mary-both of us!" ' Nels smiled at her. "I suppose you carry me on yqur back, eh, Hilda?. Better you carry Mary her Christmas and leave me alone. I van live till morning, maybe. So Prom here I ea"h see Mary look in stocking in the morning. MIMMHI‘ ‘Imw-mwumwmu mun "No," said Hilda in a matter-of, fact way. "Ay skull not carry you, for ban too ‘heavy, Nels. Ay sled you down the hill." She unslung the ax which Nels woild have givenSo much to have had before. "Give it to me," he said, his fact suddenly gleaming. "Wait now," was her answef. "First I make the fire bigger, be- cause you'ure cold. Take my coat; no, you must not fight me, Nels, for now the storm is gone and it comes cold.” She made him wrap himself in‘ her sheepskin coat and then plung-\ ed off through the snow. A1 moment later'hc heard her begin eight inches through. Soon she had to hack at a tree---a fir six or eight inches through. Soon she had it down and the limbs lapped ‘off. She logged it off in a ted-foot length, cut through again to make herself a maul or billet, and so presently drugged both pieces to _the fireside. "If yoost we could split "it good," said Nels. “I show you/Hu/d Hilda. She began to pound the blade of the ax into the little log; and, knotty as it was, succeedpd in driving it apart roughly into halves. "You take him now, Nels," said she. With no more ado Nels, thrust- ing the foot of the slab through‘ the snow to the ground, began to) hack it out in Tong ships, so that' in time the slab, held between his legs as he'sat, with the firelight only to aid him, grew thinner and at length hogan lo look somewhat like the rough blade ot a ski. Then. drawing the keen, heavy-bladed lknlfe once more from his bolt. he lwnrked at the rough chips. "She don't turn up much on tho end, Nels." said Htldl as at length he handed her his rough hand.- work. "No," said Nels. "and suppose we had straw, how could I walk with in, toot broke?" _ Hilda stood looking at him in) disgust. "Ay tote you, Nels," susid) she, "i would Med you down. So, Ay fix me two runners Wynn;- one ski and this now one. The mow is! so" anyways and it's downhill tttt the time. You lie on your back on the two runner. Nels. no you carry Mary's Chrisimu on your Mound. Ind not Four hack Yoost so Sunn- komn. what difference when he jenny his put-k?" "Alt right, Hilda." said Nel- ralmir "We ban make a sled tor Santa Chm. Only we In" no Mlls.‘ and he chuckling. Worth. together "my tttttstty contrived I amt ot twd-nmnered and without my body, the runner: loosely joined by and ppm-don. MI‘ too rtuetr connprmd with "man and bulky union. “Thurs I" rum." mid Nels at mu. "t hold them with my lands. " hut you she (Milka any from I. “I. "the. So now. an“. no my unummtm. “window A. the new. t mu. m- '31.! of , Nels?" asked f "an”: au Hal. '0. on. um Chin! You run in than " eUht, by My!" And at. M qrqnt ttt_-ttt u (on which "on "to. W About II It. in Jun. T% two loo-e. two-runner“ and. mm In the - and» tho would ot Nol'l body. He tay wlth "tttq I‘ll plopped. tip at the front on]. Ind " on” And body ducted tn than now no that the crude contrlmoo‘ w..- In no dunner ot slip?” dam; ward t90 rapidly. On About! trudged‘ Hilda. the Itnp of their 14mm belts herons her shouldon. She literally dragged her huh-ad down through the anow nther than over Ht, now and attain stopptnc. tor It. no but": Nels. chilled from irt','1i,',e',', broken toot freezing all t e 2l) made no complaint, but enoourued Hilda the. best he could. "Ar but you Santa Claus lhll tom to on; house tomittht," slid he, “even it, he ban some late!" It was hard, heartbreaking wore, but after some fashion they did at length wallow down through the" snowbound defile and reach motel open country, with the main trail close before them. It was now inr1 past midnight. _ "Can you stand, Nels?" asked Hilda, pausing now, pantingly. as she found the packed trail under her feel. "Here runs the trail easy now." "Sure I can stand," said Nels hruv‘ely. Hut he stumbled, sun and half frozen. and she had to help him stand. _ "Take, ttren, my skis," said she. "I can't pull you on the lever-only down hill. Can you walk, 'Nels?" "Sure I can. Hilda," said he. "My tvot is froze. so it don't hurt now. Please put it in the strap?» Stumbling. shutnittg, they) moved un, the crippled giant leaning part of his weight on his wite's sturdy shoulder. The blue heavens shone above them full ot brilliant stars. " “as three miles, two. a mile. half a mile, a quarter, to the red light in the window of their home. "So." exclaimed Nels. lifting hiss) hem head. "it 139 Mary walling tor) Santa Claus. Go on. Hilda. and tell her Io go to bed. Give me my pack. Tell her Santa Claus kom. But she must not see him." "Can you make it in the house now, Nels?" asked Hilda doubtfully. "Sure I can. has not Mary there in the window? Ho! I am as good a Santa Claus as ever wags." After a time they saw the shadow " a figure standing in the window and Deming out. Hilda glanced at him, saw that he mum at least crawl Ch on the trail. and so left him and hastened on to the house. She caught her daughter in her arms. “Where's Papa?" demanded Mary. "And who's that out at the edge n! the yard?" “Your papa hom all in good time. Mary. I saw him yoost n while ako. Jlut what you saw in the yard wuss Santa Claus. Hush! you must not wok, for Santa Claus: must not be wen. Go In the bed now. Mary. and vovor up you face tor a little while. Hoon comes Santa to bring things "or the Christmas tree, Mary. Did aw not tell you Santa Claus would kom , She slapped the - from her) head and pushed back the wet hair trom her sweat dampened forehead. Mary danced up and down as. .1de by her mother's cold-Butte-i Singers, she undressed and made mady for bed In her own little bunk. "Goody for you. Mnmma!" said she, “I knew you'd find Papa, and I knew Santa Claus would comp. it must he nearly morning now." "Cover up your eyes. Mary." said her mower warnlnxly. "What? Would yum see Santa come with his park?“ , "Well he mm big, and his beard was: white, and his link and his unit was: full of snow, and he. had a park on hin bark, and he wo/ on a sledge: yen. sunt- alwnys horn on a sledge. Marya Hush? Cover up votir but." _ I In the night Mary heard the door "pen, heard Imothored voices Ind ,htitflie in the can, and nut tho firs brighten up all the interior i mit, faithful to her promise. I!“ did not look. Brannon. "cit-d. her "Median mating with mor- no". she frtt the pretence ot mm Finns there In the little mun. whih in the edge M her bed. ”moot within touch, the M bough- at her Phrintmau tree bonan bond Mnonth their precious load of thin”. the nut precious thin" that fortune on bring to any human .ttqtr--thq gift- of Inf-ord- iu Ind all-conquering up". " was - win M an to the can»! Nob But you saw him." Yes. but I could not help It." 'What did he look "he. Mum Ben, At 'tost the (my dun! has"! te break. _ - "‘Mnmlm." cried Mury‘nt Int from underneath her blankets, where Indeed she had “on but little. "In: it tinter?" “Yes. Mary," and her not)“. who had not glam that night " nil; ."you Rom now And see what Nau- Cum, In" done." And BO, springing from her bod/ Mary a" whlt '80!“ Clu- Ind done. saw her Chm-nu tn. .toartttrttt um shining, III! has!“ with me very (In. (or which as. but wi.tted. Dun-Ana from one to the other. Imaging In noun do- ngmedly. nSm an and now. u- Joy (TIM-nun” morning. 4 rii‘ms h here. Mary. Ay not on Christm- mornlnx hotter you ll“ your mm- m- one. to twice only. Kins her once for me. too, Mary. W1tttortt you mmm we. would not have tom. nor your you “mar." Mat& no up M Ill: bushing. "Loot out for my foot!" gold he. "My! WI lucky Balm Chou duo not In" to use “In In the dork I,, an. non-tun. But It In on we Iold you; one. a your coma Sana Clo-1 tombow for mu. cllldren. And. lay, limo. yol- xet some more told wot-r from the poll. Your Inna: In trot" to carry the - to no loy- III the - ml. winter. lilo comb: bet before I on do “yum for chl- ‘hrokn It?! I - can no mu L2. . '. . "Mnybe Bo," old mm. "New I must make the hmkfut Donn eat too much candy." Nell. one toot propped on u chair. the other swollen and d|soolored. Internet! In I poll at cold wlter, on looking " them And smiling very tummy. "By yimlny! mm." "idt"r,'ttt-rnrteeeotMsA' ha hungry.” . -By BgttqrBtttt Rough In IAIIha' Home Jourlnl. " Km A" mm "Ny, h" .51. llttle Johnny to MI lather. "th do any maul by - Mutm'r’ "VII“! onto-mm. my In." an n. who mm ttmd am your: lot not)". “Ii u. _ In... by holi- vlo’hvo not. no. Inn‘- Lulu-1’ no. to tif,