nning it had
appeared in the light of a heavier sacrifice than could be made easily,
she felt that she could allow the child to do as she wished, being sure
that it was not in a spirit of self-righteousness. And so, on the
evening before Thanksgiving after Uncle Justus had returned from seeing
Mrs. Horner safely on her journey to her sister's, he saw a little
figure watching for him at the window.

"Well, well, well, little girl," he said, "how is this? I thought you
would have been at home before now."

"I'm not going till Friday," replied Edna smiling up at him. "I'm going
to stay and have Thanksgiving dinner with you."

"What? What? What?" Uncle Justus frowned and shook his head, but he took
off his spectacles and wiped them very vigorously.

"Yes, I am." Edna was very decided. "Mother said I might, and oh, Uncle
Justus, she knew Aunt Elizabeth would be away and she thought maybe you
and I would like some of our Thanksgiving, so she has sent some of her
goodies, and we're going to have a lovely time. I am going to help Ellen
set the table and wipe the dishes."

"But, my child, I cannot allow it. No, no, no."

"Oh, but, please." The more Uncle Justus denied, the more anxious was
Edna.

"But, my child, it would be selfish and inconsiderate of me in the
extreme to take you away from your family on a holiday. I know what it
means to little people to have such treats, and to an old fellow like me
it will not make such a difference."

"But you told me you had never had a Thanksgiving dinner alone."

"That is quite true, but it is no reason why I should call upon a little
girl like you to give up the holiday to me."

"Don't you want me to stay?" asked Edna wistfully, and feeling a little
hurt lest after all, her sacrifice was not really needed.

Then Uncle Justus did a rare thing. He sat down, put his arm around her
and kissed her on the cheek. "My dear little girl," he replied, "if that
is the way you feel, I can only say that I am delighted beyond measure
that you want to stay, and you will give me a greater cause for
thanksgiving than I have expected or deserved," and he drew her to his
knee.

Edna smiled as she wondered what Florence Gittings, or any of the other
girls, for that matter, would say if they could see her then so
extremely near the fierce eyebrows.

"But what will you do in the afternoon?" asked Uncle Justus after a
moment. "I must go out early, you see."

"I know that. At first I thought