young fellow on a
doorstep in Harbut Road not a dozen yards from his own door. Being a
doctor, he saw at once that he must be warmed and fed or life would be
endangered, and Christmas night of all nights. How could he forbear in
sheer humanity to take in the poor creature, and then when he found how
weak he was, how was he to turn him out into the streets again?"

"He might have sent for a cab and had him driven to a hospital."

"No--Marcus said it was no case for a hospital, at least at present;
they would not have admitted him; indeed--indeed he could not have done
otherwise--I told him so at once. What is the use of going to church
and saying one's prayers if one shrinks from such a clear duty as that?
Why, we should never dare to read St. James again!"

"And why not, may I ask?"

"Because we should have set our faces against his teaching. Oh, you
know what I mean, Mr. Gaythorne," and Olivia repeated the text
reverently: "'If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily
food, and one of you say unto them go in peace, be ye clothed and fed,
and yet you give them not those things needful for the body, what doth
it profit?' Marcus does not only profess his religion. Oh"--finished
Olivia, with sparkling eyes--"I did feel so proud of my husband last
night."

"Well--well; if you choose to be Quixotic it is your own affair, not
mine," but Mr. Gaythorne spoke with less irritation. "Now shall we go
on with the portfolio, or do you want to go back to your gentlemanly
tramp?" Then Olivia begged to finish the pictures.

"I have nearly half an hour before Dot's bedtime," she said,
cheerfully, "and then I must go," and so harmony was restored.

When the half-hour had passed, Olivia took her leave, but before she
reached the door, Mr. Gaythorne called her back and thrust something
into her hand.

"That will help you to provide for your tramp," he said, hurriedly,
"and prevent him from eating you out of house and home. Mind you repay
yourself before you lay out any for him: do you suppose," in a cynical
tone, "that your husband's income will bear the expense of such an
inmate as that?" and Olivia, to her intense astonishment, found the two
crumpled bits of paper in her hand were five-pound notes.

"Oh there is no need for this," she said, in distress; "have you
forgotten the turkey and all those good things Aunt Madge sent us?" but
Mr. Gaythorne waved her away.

"Nonsense," he said, crossly; "do you suppos