282 
THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
The officer looked up again surprised. " I would that, 
sir, first-rate/' he answered, heartily. 
Mr. Broadstreet stepped to the side door and pressed 
the electric knob. 
" Give this man a good cup of coffee/' he said to the 
girl who answered the bell. " And, officer, buy the folks 
at home a trifle for me ; Christmas, you know." As he 
spoke, he put a big silver dollar into the astonished 
policeman's hand, and at the same time the Shadow van- 
ished, leaving the light from the bright, warm hall falling 
fairly upon the snow-covered cap and buttons. 
A muffled roll and jingling of bells made themselves 
heard above the wind, and a horse-car came laboring 
down the street through the heavy drifts. Mr. Broad- 
street, without a thought as to the destination of the car, 
but impelled by some unseen force, clambered upon the 
rear platform. The conductor was standing like a snow- 
man, covered with white from head to foot, collar up 
around his ears, and hands deep in his pockets. And 
the Shadow was there again. Broad and gloomy, it sur- 
rounded both conductor and passenger in its bleak folds. 
" Tough night, sir," remarked the former, presently. 
" Yes, yes ; it is, indeed," replied Mr. Broadstreet, who 
was thinking what in the world he could give this man 
except money. " And Christmas Eve, too ! " 
" That's a fact," said the conductor. " Just the luck 
of it, I say. Now, to-morrow I get four hours' lay-off in 
the afternoon ; and my wife, she was planning to take the 
