ng into the cottage, rushed up to his father and kissed
and hugged him with all his might!

Indeed, Gabriel was so happy and excited that he did not realize that he
was not at all surprised with their good fortune. For miserable as he
had been for weeks, and though he had thought that he had quite
despaired of his prayer being answered, yet deep down in his heart,
without knowing it, all the while he had cherished a strong hope that it
would be.

Nor was Brother Stephen surprised either, when, at barely daybreak the
next morning, before going to his work, Gabriel hurried up to the Abbey
and told him all about it. His face beamed with delight, however, and he
seemed almost as happy over it all as Gabriel himself. He smiled, too,
but said nothing, as the lad wondered over and over what God had done to
Count Pierre, to make him willing to free his father and restore the
sheep! He only said, as he gently patted Gabriel's hair:

"There, there, little one! the good God hath many ways of softening
men's hearts, and never thou mind in what manner he hath chosen to
manage the Count Pierre!"

Just then one of the monks went past the open door, his arms full of
evergreens, and carrying in his hand a pot of the pretty white flowers
that the Norman peasant folk call Christmas roses. Seeing him, Brother
Stephen told Gabriel that he must go and help the brothers trim the
Abbey church for the joyous service of the morrow; and so with another
affectionate little pat, he went out to do his part in arranging the
holiday greens and garlands and tall wax candles, while Gabriel hurried
off to his work in the village.

The little boy was so happy, though, over the things that had happened
at home, that he went about all day in a sort of wondering dream. And
that evening as he went home from his work, very tired, but still
dreaming, the early Christmas-eve stars shone and twinkled so radiantly
over his head and the snow sparkled so brightly under his feet, that he
fairly tingled through and through with the nameless, magic happiness of
the blessed season!

And when he reached home, and sat down next to his father while they ate
their scanty supper, they all felt so glad to be together again that
nobody minded that the pieces of black bread were smaller than ever,
and that when the cold wind blew through the crevices of the cottage
walls, there was not enough fire on the hearth to keep them from
shivering.

Indeed, they were all so muc