s it
simply an impulsive phrase? A story had been told her once--but,
no, that did not belong to Christmas Eve!

"It was all a happening," he went on. "I spied the mistletoe when
I was coming home, and it set me to wondering if it wouldn't help
out; so I brought it along. I wanted those dear women to have a
real Christmas merry-making, not a sham affair. Take such folks,
they'll generally sit around and talk, and laugh a little, and
think they are celebrating something. I wanted them to have a
young Christmas. And I didn't catch anybody after all," he ended,
a plaintive note in his voice.

"You didn't try to catch anybody, did you?" she smiled.

"What ever put such a thing into your head?" he demanded fiercely.

She laughed. "I have seen you a few times before to-night."

He frowned--then broke into a chuckle.

"Bless you!" he said fervently.

"Nelson Randolph!" she suddenly cried out, trying to break away
from him, "The windows! I forgot!"

"What's the matter with them?" he twinkled. "They're all shut."

"But the shades! They're up!--Nelson!"

"What if they are?" he returned comfortably.

"Somebody may look in!"

He smilingly held her tight. "If any wanderer is abroad in this
cold, he ought to be rewarded with a picture of domestic bliss."

"But if Mrs. Betts should be coming home late!--"

"She'd probably be disappointed that it was only I, instead of some
other woman's husband."

"Nelson, do let me go!...I think we might find easier seats," she
laughed, as she came back to him.

He turned her toward the little mantel clock. It was two minutes
of twelve.

"Almost Christmas morning!" she said softly. "I wonder if they'll
call us up to-night."

"Hardly. We should have heard before. Everything was complete at
ten o'clock."

"How surprised they were!" she mused smilingly. "I'm so glad you
did it for them."

"I am glad you did it!" he amended.

She started to reply, but he lifted a detaining finger. The city
hall clock was striking the hour.

"My princess,"--his lips touched her own,--"I wish you the
joyfulest Christmas--"

"Ting! ting! Ting! ti-i-ng!" broke in imperiously.

"Go," he urged, loosing his clasp.

"Oh, Mis' Randolph! is that you?" came in Miss Crilly's clear
voice. "We all wish you a merry, merry Christmas, and we thank you
more than we can ever tell if we live to be a hundred years old!
They piled into my room to wait till Christmas morning, for they
would h