busy children. There's Ellen and Margaret and Anne with a horde of
youngsters to make a Christmas for, and John--bless your heart, Ellen,
_there's_ a busy man! A broker now is one of the very busiest of men!
And what with John's kiddies and his beautiful society wife and that
grand Christmas eve ball he mentions--why--" the Doctor cleared his
throat,--"why, dear me, it's not to be wondered at, say I! And Philip
and Howard--busy as--as--as architects and lawyers usually are at
Christmas," he finished lamely. "As for Ralph--" the Doctor looked
away--"well, Ralph hasn't spent a Christmas home since college days."

"It will be the first Christmas we ever spent without some of them
home," ventured Aunt Ellen, biting her lip courageously, whereupon the
old Doctor patted her shoulder gently with a cheery word of advice.

Now, there was something in the touch of the old Doctor's broad and
gentle hand that always soothed, wherefore Aunt Ellen presently wiped
her troublesome glasses again and bravely tried to smile, and the Doctor
making a vast and altogether cheerful to-do about turning the blazing
log, began a brisk description of his day. It had ended, professionally,
at a lonely little house in the heart of the forest, which Jarvis
Hildreth, dying but a scant year since, had bequeathed to his orphaned
children, Madge and Roger.

"And, Ellen," finished the Doctor, soberly, "there he sits by the
window, day by day, poor lame little lad!--staring away so wistfully at
the forest, and Madge, bless her brave young heart!--she bastes and
stitches and sews away, all the while weaving him wonderful yarns about
the pines and cedars to amuse him--all out of her pretty head, mind you!
A lame brother and a passion for books--" said the Doctor, shaking his
head, "a poor inheritance for the lass. They worry me a lot, Ellen, for