It was Christmas Eve. Slick Cy and Malcolm had returned toward nightfall with a fine tree, to the delight of the girls, who had it erected in the big living-room, where they spent a merry hour covering its branches with shining ornaments.
Virginia and Margaret were happily excited. “Virg,” Megsy exclaimed, “don’t you think that Malcolm and Slick Cy act as though they have a secret that they don’t wish us to know?”
“Yes, I have noticed it,” Virginia said as she stood on a chair to place a tiny doll on the top-most bough. “What do you suppose it can be?”
“Perhaps they have a present for us,” Margaret replied. Then she added: “I keep thinking of poor Babs and wishing that she was with us.”
“Why poor? I thought you said that Babs has a good income.” Virginia held a toy horse as she glanced inquiringly at her friend.
“Babs is always so sad at the holiday time,” Margaret explained. “She tries to seem cheerful but there is such a lonely, wistful expression in her eyes and then once she told me that Christmas had never been a happy season for her since her brother Peyton left home.”
“I, too, say ‘poor Babs,’” Virginia said earnestly. “I do indeed wish that she were here. Now, dear, if you will give me that taper I will light the candles.”
Margaret did this and then stepped back. “How pretty the tree looks with all those sparkling ornaments,” she said.
“Doesn’t it?” Virginia had joined her friend. Then as she blew out the light of the taper she added: “One of the boys is to play Santa Claus—I don’t know which one—but brother told me to have Mrs. Mahoy and the kiddies over here promptly at seven o’clock. Since it is ten minutes to that hour I’ll skip over to their house and call them.”
A moment later the three shining-eyed Irish children burst into the room and the older girls could not have found little ones more willing to skip and dance about their tree, for how those small Mahoys did squeal and clap their hands and hop for joy!
“See ’ittle dollies way up top!” Baby Cola lisped as she tried to drag her pale, sad-eyed mother over toward the tree. The older girls looked at the little woman and their hearts ached for her, for well they knew that there could be no real happiness for her unless she could find her lost husband.
“Everybody be seated, quick!” Margaret called as the clock struck 7. “Santa will be coming now.”
Such a scramble as there was for chairs, and then, “Oh! Oh! See Santa!” Baby Cola and 5-year-old Dora cried in excited chorus. The dining-room had opened to admit someone dressed to represent the good old saint. Margaret and Virginia stared for a moment, uncomprehending, for this apparition was not of the build of either Slick Cy or Malcolm, both of whom were broad-shouldered young giants. The Santa Claus, however, evidently had been told what to do, for, after making a fine bow he straightway reached to the highest branch, and taking down the dollies, he called: “For Baby Cola.”
Right at that moment something surprising happened. A glad light brightened the face of the little woman, and, springing up, she ran with outstretched arms toward the supposed Santa Claus, who caught her in an embrace that told the tenderness of his love for her.
“It’s me Pat!”, the little woman sobbed. “Me Pat that I’ve wanted so.” Snatching off his disguise the happy Irishman gathered his little ones in his arms. A moment later Malcolm and Slick Cy appeared, and going to the amazed girls, the former said:
“Our Santa Claus is not much better at play-actin’ than is dear old Uncle Tex.”
“Of course not,” Virginia exclaimed, with tears in her eyes. “He couldn’t disguise his voice so that his loving little wife wouldn’t recognize it, but how did he come here? Where did you find him?”
The boys then told how they had found the prospector living alone in a cabin high on Second Peak, close to the Christmas tree.
“And think of it, sister,” Malcolm exclaimed excitedly. “He has truly found a paying mine, and if you and I will grubstake him, he’ll let us go shares and there’s no telling but that we may all be rich some day.”
It was a long time before the excitement had subsided so that they could proceed with the merry program as it had been planned, and never before had that old roof covered so many happy hearts.