We both heard another voice.WHO did you say it was, Georgie?""Santa Claus.Oh, Emmie, please don't be mad.I--I wanted to see him so--and--and when he came I--I--""There, there, Georgie; don't cry, dear.We're not cross.You were talking to someone you thought was Santa.Where is he?""He WAS Santa Claus.He SAID he was.He went away when you came--into the dinin'-room."
"The dining-room?...Auntie, WHAT are you doing? Don't!"But Thankful had seized the lamp and was already at the threshold of the dining-room.Holding the light aloft she peered into that apartment.
"If there's anybody here," she ordered, "they'd better come out because....Here! I see you under that table.I--"She stopped, gasped, and staggered back.Emily, running to her side, was just in time to prevent the lamp falling to the floor.
"Oh, Auntie," cried the young lady."Auntie, what IS it?"Thankful did not answer.Her face was white and she moved her hands helplessly.And there in the doorway of the dining-room appeared Santa Claus; and if ever Santa Claus looked scared and apprehensive he did at that moment.
Emily stared at him.Mrs.Barnes uttered a groan.Santa Claus smiled feebly.
"Hello, Thankful," he said."I--I cal'late you're surprised to see me, ain't you?"Thankful's lips moved.
"Are--are you livin' or--or dead?" she gasped.
"Me--Oh, I'm alive, but that's about all.Hey? It's Emily, ain't it? Why--why, Emily, don't you know me?"Miss Howes put the lamp down upon the table.Then she leaned heavily upon a chair back.
"Cousin Jedediah!" she exclaimed."It can't be--it--Auntie--"But Thankful interrupted.She turned to Georgie.
"Is--is THIS your Santa Claus?" she faltered.
"Yes'm," answered Georgie.
"Jedediah Cahoon!" cried Thankful."Jedediah Cahoon!"For Georgie's "Santa Claus" was her brother, the brother who had run away from her home so long ago to seek his fortune in the Klondike; whose letter, written in San Francisco and posted in Omaha, had reached her the month before; whom the police of several cities were looking for at her behest.
"Auntie!" cried Emily again.
Thankful shook her head."Help me to a chair, Emily," she begged weakly."This--this is--my soul and body! Jedediah come alive again!"The returned gold-hunter swallowed several times.
"Thankful," he faltered, "I know you must feel pretty hard agin me, but--but, you see--""Hush! hush! Don't speak to me for a minute.Let me get my bearin's, for mercy sakes, if I can....Jedediah--HERE!""Yes--yes, I'm here.I am, honest.I--""Sshh! You're here now, but--but where have you been all this time? For a man that is, I presume likely, loaded down with money--I presume you must be loaded down with it; you remember you'd said you'd never come back until you was--for that kind of a man I must say you look pretty down at the heel.""Thankful--"
"Have you worn out your clothes luggin' the money around?""Auntie, don't.Look at him.Think!"
"Hush, Emily! I am lookin' at him and I'm thinkin', too.I'm thinkin' of how much I put up with afore he run off and left me, and how I've worried and laid awake nights thinkin' he was dead.
Where have you been all this time? Why haven't you written?""I did write."
"You wrote when you was without a cent and wanted to get money from me.You didn't write before.Let me be, Emily; you don't know what I've gone through on account of him and now he comes sneakin'
into my house in the middle of the night, without a word that he was comin', sneakin' in like a thief and frightenin' us half to death and--"Jedediah interrupted."Sneakin' in!" he repeated, with a desperate move of his hands."I had to sneak in.I was scairt to come in when you was up and awake.I knew you'd be down on me like a thousand of brick.I--I--Oh, you don't know what I've been through, Thankful, or you'd pity me, 'stead of pitchin' into me like this.I've been a reg'lar tramp--that's what I've been, a tramp.Freezin' and starvin' and workin' in bar-rooms! Why, Ibeat my way on a freight train all the way here from New Bedford, and I've been hidin' out back of the house waitin' for you to go to bed, so's I'd dare come in.""So's you'd dare come in! What did you want to come in for if Iwa'n't here?"
"I wanted to leave a note for you, that's why.I wanted to leave a note and--and that."He pointed to the ring and the bit of tissue paper on the table.
Thankful took up the paper first and read aloud what was written upon it.
"For Thankful, with a larst merry Christmas from brother Jed.I am going away and if you want me I will be at New Bedford for two weeks, care the bark Finback.""'I am goin' away'," repeated Thankful."Goin' away? Are you goin' away AGAIN?""I--I was cal'latin' to.I'm goin' cook on a whaler.""Cook! You a cook! And," she took up the ring and stared at it, "for the land sakes, what's this?""It's a present I bought for you.Took my last two dollar bill, it did.I wanted you to have somethin' to remember me by."Thankful held the gaudy ring at arm's length and stared at it helplessly.There was a curious expression on her face, half-way between laughing and crying.
"You bought this--this thing for me," she repeated."And did you think I'd wear it.""I hoped you would.Oh, Thankful, if you only knew what I've been through.Why, I was next door to starvin' when I got in here tonight.If I hadn't eat somethin' I found in the buttry I would have starved, I guess.And I'm soaked, soppin' through and--""There, there.Hush! hush! Jedediah, you're gold-diggin' ain't changed you much, I guess.You're just as helpless as ever you was.Well, you're here and I'm grateful for so much.Now you come with me out into the kitchen and we'll see what can be done about gettin' you dry.Emily, if you'll just put that child to bed."But Georgie had something to say.He had listened to this long dialogue with astonishment and growing dismay.Now the dismay and conviction of a great disappointment overcame him.
