quarter of a loaf of bread.

When Catherine, that cold morning, inspected the woeful emptiness of the
cupboard, she wrung her cold blue hands in despair; but, wring her poor
little hands ever so much, she could not squeeze good bread and meat out
of them; something must be done, and that immediately, if she would save
the children from starving. At length she bethought herself that many rich
people of Kaboutermannekensburg were fond of burning pine-cones instead of
rough logs, not only on account of the bright, warm and crackling fire
they produced, but also because of the sweet resinous odor that they threw
out, filling the house with a perfume like that which arose from the
censers in the cathedral.

It was woeful weather for Catherine to go hunting for pine-cones. The snow
lay a good foot deep over the glossy brown treasures, and she herself was
but thinly clad; yet the children must have bread. Not having eaten any
breakfast that morning, she slipped the remnant of the loaf into the
basket to serve as lunch, and then started to face the wind toward the
forest.

Bitterly cold blew the wind from the bleak north; tearing through the
moaning pine forest, that tossed and swayed before the tempest, gnawing
Catherine's nose and fingers, and snatching up, as it were, handfuls of
snow, and hurling them in a rage through the air. Poor Catherine was
nearly frozen, yet she struggled bravely on through the drifting snow.
Suddenly she caught sight of a quaint little cottage that she had never
seen before, much as she had traveled this portion of the forest; but a
more welcome sight still was the gleam of a cheery fire within, that
illuminated the frost-covered panes with a ruddy glow.

Catherine, stumbling, sliding, struggling through the drifts, reached the
cottage at last, raised the latch, and entered a door-way so low that even
she, small as she was, had to stoop her head in passing.

"Shut the door!" shrieked a shrill voice, with startling abruptness; and,
for the first time, Kate perceived a very little old man seated in a very
large chair, and smoking a very long pipe. A great beard reached below his
dangling feet and touched the floor.

[Illustration: "A VERY LITTLE OLD MAN SEATED IN A VERY LARGE CHAIR."]

"May I warm myself at your fire, kind gentleman?" said Kate, dropping a
courtesy. The little old man grunted without looking at her.

"May I warm myself at your fire, sir?" repeated Kate, in a louder voice,
supp