Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Janet Blenkinship and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: "That figure was not his own." From a drawing by F.H. Townsend. (_page 202_)] The Upas Tree _A Christmas Story for all the Year_ By Florence L. Barclay _Author of "The Rosary," etc_ G.P. Putnam's Sons New York and London The Knickerbocker Press 1912 COPYRIGHT, 1912 BY FLORENCE L. BARCLAY The Knickerbocker Press, New York To V.C.B. 53-22146 CONTENTS PART I CHAPTER PAGE I.--WHICH SHALL SPEAK FIRST? 13 II.--THE SOB OF THE WOMAN 29 III.--HELEN TAKES THE INITIATIVE 40 IV.--FIRELIGHT IN THE STUDIO 44 PART II V.--THE INFANT OF PRAGUE 67 VI.--AUBREY PUTS DOWN HIS FOOT 97 VII.--A FRIEND IN NEED 113 VIII.--PARADISE LOST 129 IX.--THE PINNACLE OF THE TEMPLE 137 PART III X.--RONNIE ARRIVES IN A FOG 149 XI.--THE MIRAGE 160 XII.--A FRIEND IN DEED 174 XIII.--RONNIE FACES THE UPAS 192 XIV.--AS IN A MIRROR 200 PART IV XV.--"THE FOG LIFTS" 209 XVI.--"HE _MUST_ REMEMBER" 223 XVII.--"HE NEVER KNEW!" 246 XVIII.--THE FACE IN THE MIRROR 258 XIX.--UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN 271 XX.--GOOD-NIGHT TO THE INFANT OF PRAGUE 283 Part I CHAPTER I WHICH SHALL SPEAK FIRST? Ronald West stood at the window of his wife's sitting-room, looking across the bright garden-borders to the wide park beyond, and wondering how on earth he should open the subject of which his mind had been full during their morning ride. He had swung off his own horse a few moments before; thrown the bridle to a waiting groom, and made his way round to her stirrup. Then he had laid his hand upon Silverheels' mane, and looking up into his wife's glowing, handsome face, he had said: "May I come to your room for a talk, Helen? I have something very important to tell you." Helen had smiled down upon him. "I thought my cavalier was miles away from his horse and his wife, during most of the ride. But, if he proposes taking me on the same distant journey, he shall be forgiven. Also, I have something to tell _you_, Ronnie, and I see the turret clock gives us an hour before luncheon. I must scribble out a message for the village; then I will come to you at once, without stopping to change." She laid her hand on his shoulder, and dropped lightly to the ground. Then, telling the groom to wait, she passed into the hall.