? You just come back home and we'll let bygones be
bygones. We both have something to forgive, but I was an obstinate old
fool and I've known it for years, though I never confessed it to
anybody but the cat."

The Pretty Lady softened, trembled, smiled. She went right up to the
Tall Lady and put her arms about her neck.

"Oh, I've wanted so much to be friends with you again," she sobbed.
"But I thought you would never relent--and--and--I've been so
lonely--"

"There, there," whispered the Tall Lady, "don't cry under the matron's
eye. Wait till we get home. I may have some crying to do myself then.
Charlotte, go and get your hat and come right over with us. We can
sign the necessary papers later on, but we must have you right off.
The cat is waiting for you on the back porch, and there is a turnover
cooling on the pantry window that is just your size."

"I am so happy," remarked Charlotte, "that I feel like crying
myself."

Christmas at Red Butte

"Of course Santa Claus will come," said Jimmy Martin confidently.
Jimmy was ten, and at ten it is easy to be confident. "Why, he's _got_
to come because it is Christmas Eve, and he always _has_ come. You
know that, twins."

Yes, the twins knew it and, cheered by Jimmy's superior wisdom, their
doubts passed away. There had been one terrible moment when Theodora
had sighed and told them they mustn't be too much disappointed if
Santa Claus did not come this year because the crops had been poor,
and he mightn't have had enough presents to go around.

"That doesn't make any difference to Santa Claus," scoffed Jimmy. "You
know as well as I do, Theodora Prentice, that Santa Claus is rich
whether the crops fail or not. They failed three years ago, before
Father died, but Santa Claus came all the same. Prob'bly you don't
remember it, twins, 'cause you were too little, but I do. Of course
he'll come, so don't you worry a mite. And he'll bring my skates and
your dolls. He knows we're expecting them, Theodora, 'cause we wrote
him a letter last week, and threw it up the chimney. And there'll be
candy and nuts, of course, and Mother's gone to town to buy a turkey.
I tell you we're going to have a ripping Christmas."

"Well, don't use such slangy words about it, Jimmy-boy," sighed
Theodora. She couldn't bear to dampen their hopes any further, and
perhaps Aunt Elizabeth might manage it if the colt sold well. But
Theodora had her painful doubts, and she sighed again as she l