ave me do the talking, though I can't do it half so well as
some of the rest of 'em! Oh, you don't know how surprised we were!
We stood talking in my door. Mis' Albright and Miss Mullaly and
Miss Major and I, and I said, 'Come in and sit down!' So I struck
a light, and happened to glance this way! Well, I gave one scream,
and looked round to make sure where I was; and Miss Mullaly she
squealed out, 'How came that here?' Then I spun across the room
lively! And when I picked up your card with its dear little piece
of mistletoe--well, you could have knocked me down easy! We heard
little shouts and laughs all up and down, and Miss Major said, 'I
wonder--' and ran right off to her room quick. Then the others
caught on, and they went! I had to follow, of course, to see! And
when we found there was a 'phone in every room--we just didn't know
what to do! Why, if I wake up in the night I shall want to run
over here to feel of it, just to make sure it is true! To think of
your doing it for us!"

"I didn't! It is Mr. Randolph you ought to be thanking, not me!
He--"

There was a dash across the room and the receiver was caught from
her hand.

"No, no! I had nothing to do with it! I only filled my wife's
order--that's all!"

"Nelson Randolph!" she expostulated. "Let me have the telephone!"

But he shook his head. "Thank you, Miss Crilly, on her behalf!
I'm mighty glad you like them. What's that? Oh, well, if she did,
I should be there beside her, thanking Him for giving me so good a
wife!"

"What are you talking about? I want to know!"

With a smile he relinquished the instrument.

"I heard you say that! I told him that Miss Mullaly said you ought
to get down on your knees every day of your life and thank the Lord
for giving you such a good husband."

"You can tell Miss Mullaly that is just what I do!"

"My! I will. Isn't this fun, to be talking with you this
way!--and at midnight, too! Oh, why didn't I think of it when he
was there! Well, you thank him for us all! You ought to have
heard us gabble when we found those five-dollar gold pieces in our
baskets! It was lovely of him to do it! And those shoes you gave
me--did you crochet them yourself?"

"Certainly."

"All those stitches for me! They're beautiful! I've always wished
I had some of that kind. And--just think!--I shouldn't be here
to-night if it hadn't been for you! Oh, I couldn't thank you
enough if I should live to be a thou