Christmas-Eve came, I was nearly crazy with thinking that to-morrow was
uncle's birthday; and that I should not be with him. But that very night,
after I had gone to my room, the door opened, and in came little Eddie in
his nightgown, his eyes looking very bright and black over it.

"'There, princess!' said he, 'there is the key of the gate. Run.'

"'I took him in my arms and kissed him, unable to speak. He struggled to
get free, and ran to the door. There he turned and said:

"'You will come back and see me some day--will you not?'

"'That I will,' I answered.

"'That you shall,' said Uncle Peter.

"'I hid the key, and went to bed, where I lay trembling. As soon as I was
sure they must be asleep, I rose and dressed. I had no bonnet or shawl but
those I had come in; and though they disgusted me, I thought it better to
put them on. But I dared not unlock the street-door for fear of making a
noise. So I crept out of the kitchen-window, and then I got out at the
gate all safe. No one was in sight. So I locked it again, and threw the
key over. But what a time of fear and wandering about I had in the
darkness, before I dared to ask any one the way. It was a bright, clear
night; and I walked very quietly till I came upon a great wide common. The
sky, and the stars, and the wideness frightened me, and made me gasp at
first. I felt as if I should fall away from everything into nothing. And
it was so lonely! But then I thought of God, and in a moment I knew that
what I had thought loneliness was really the presence of God. And then I
grew brave again, and walked on. When the morning dawned, I met a