had an unexpected holiday and begged her to come home, if possible, to
spend it with him, and she was just coming out of Mrs. Vanderlyn's
boudoir, where she had gone to get permission, when she unexpectedly
met John. He had come home without notice and ahead of time from one
of his long journeys.




CHAPTER VI


"Has she not come then, yet, my child?" said Kreutzer to the busy
M'riar, as he returned. He had thought that Anna might have reached
the tenement by that time, for he had gone out a second time and made
a number of delightful, although meagre purchases.

"No signs," said M'riar. "Yn't see a sign of 'er. But hit cawn't be
long before she'll be 'ere, can it?"

"No, M'riar; not long."

The place was poorly furnished. Marks of poverty, indeed, were
everywhere; but upon the little table with its oil-cloth cover, soon
began to show, as he brought package after package from his pockets,
an array of goodies which amazed M'riar greatly. From the little
gas-pipe chandelier which hung above the table (fly-specked and badly
rusted before M'riar's busy hands had done their best to polish it,
and still uncouth in its plain iron and sharp angles), he hung a
little wreath of evergreen. Out of a package, with the utmost care, he