Clytie that the news of there being no Santa Claus was all over town! He
was ashamed, and the moment became for him one of chastening in which he
humbled his unbelieving spirit before this symbol of a more than earthly
goodness--a symbol in whose presence, while as yet no accident had
rendered it less than perfect, he would never cease to feel the spiritual
uplift of one who has weighed the fruits of faith and found them not
wanting.

He issued from some bottomless stupor of ecstacy to hear the door open to
Allan's shouts; then to see the opening nicely filled again by the figure
of Clytemnestra, who looked over at them with eager, shining eyes. He was
at first powerless to do more than say "Oh, Clytie!" with little impotent
pointings toward the candy cane. But the action now in order served to
restore him to a state of working sanity. There was washing and dressing
after Clytie had the fire crackling; the forgetting of some treasures to
remember others; and the conveyance of them all down stairs to the big
sitting-room where the sun came in over the geraniums in the bay-window,
and where the Franklin heater made the air tropic. The rocking-horse was
led and pushed by both boys; but to Clytie's responsible hand alone was
intrusted the more than earthly candy cane.

Downstairs there was the grandfather to greet--erect, fresh-shaven,
flashing kind eyes from under stern brows. He seemed to be awkwardly
pleased with their pleasure, yet scarce able to be one with them; as if
that inner white spirit of his fluttered more than its wont to be free,
yet found only tiny exits for its furtive flashes of light.

Breakfast was a chattering and explosive meal, a severe trial, indeed, to
the patience of the littler boy, who decided that he wished never to eat
breakfast again. During the ten days that he had been a member of the