aid Kris. "I know."

"He knows," said Hugh.

"Oh! they know everything in fairyland," said Alice.

"Was you evah in faywyland, sir?" asked Hugh.

"Yes."

"Where 'bouts is it, sir, and please how is it bounded on the north?
And what are the pwincipal wivers? We might look for it on the map."

"It is in the Black Hills."

"Oh! the Black Hills," said Alice. "I know."

"Yes, but you're not sleepy? Not a bit sleepy?"

"No, no."

"Then before the pretty things hop out of my bag let me tell you a
story," and he smiled at his desire to lengthen a delicious hour.

"I would like that."

"And I hope it won't be very, very long," said Alice, on more sordid
things intent.

"That's the way with girls, Mr. Kwingle; they can't wait."

"Ah, well, well. Once on a time there was a bad boy, and he was very
naughty, and no one loved him because he spent love like money till
it was all gone. When he found he had no more love given him, he went
away, and away, to a far country."

"Like the man in the Bible," said Hugh, promptly. "The--the--what's
his name, Alice?"

"The prodigal son," said Kris, "you mean--"

"Yes, sir. The pwodigal son."

"Yes, like the prodigal son."

"Well, at last he came to the Black Hills, and there he lived with
other rough men."

"But you did say he was a boy," said Alice, accurately critical.

"He was gwowed up, Alice. Don't you int--inter--"

"Interrupt, you goosey," said Alice.

"One Christmas Eve these men fell to talking of their homes, and made
up their minds to have a good dinner. But Hugh--"

"Oh!" exclaimed the lad, "Hugh!"

Mr. Chris nodded and continued. "But Hugh felt very weak because he
was just getting well of a fever, yet they persuaded him to come to
table with the rest. One man, a German, stood up and said, 'This is
the eve of Christmas. I will say our grace what we say at home.' One
man laughed, but the others were still. Then the German said,

'Come, Lord Christ, and be our guest,
Take with us what Thou hast blest.'

When Hugh heard the words the German said he began to think of home
and of many Christmas eves, and because he felt a strangeness in his
head, he said, 'I'm not well; I will go into the air.' As he moved, he
saw before him a man in the doorway. The face of the man was sad, and
his garment was white as snow. He said, 'Follow me.' But no others,
except Hugh, saw or heard. Now, when Hugh went outside, the man he had
seen was gone; but being sti