g up the sugar toy
before the amused audience, who turned to look at Helen, blushing so
painfully, and trying to hold back the real man in soldier's dress who
went quietly up the aisle, receiving the gift with a bow and smile
which turned the heads of half the ladies near him, and then went back
to Helen, over whom he bent, whispering something which made her cheeks
grow brighter than they were before, while she dropped her eyes
modestly.

"Who is he?" a woman asked, touching Aunt Betsy's shoulder.

"Captain Ray, from New York," was the answer, as Aunt Betsy gave to her
dress a little broader sweep and smoothed the bow she had tried to tie
beneath her chin just as Mattie Tubbs had tied it on the memorable opera
night.

"Miss Helen Lennox. A sugar heart, from one of her scholars," the rector
called again, the titters of the audience almost breaking into cheers as
they began to suspect the relation sustained to Helen by the handsome
young officer, going up the aisle after Helen's heart and stopping to
speak to good Aunt Betsy, who pulled his coat skirt as he passed her.

The tree by this time was nearly empty. Every child had been remembered,
save one, and that Billy, the organ boy, who, separated from his
companions, stood near Helen, watching the tree wistfully, while shadows
of hope and disappointment passed alternately over his face as one after
another the presents were distributed and nothing came to him.

"There ain't a darned thing on it for me," he exclaimed at last, when
boy nature could endure no longer, and Mark turned toward him just in
time to see the gathering mist which but for the most heroic efforts
would have merged into tears.

"Poor Billy," Helen said, as she too heard his comment, "I fear he has
been forgotten. His teacher is absent and he so faithful at the organ
too."

Mark knew now who the boy was and after a hurried consultation with
Helen, who knowing Billy well, suggested that money would probably be
more acceptable than even skates or jackknives, neither of which were
possible now, folded something in a bit of paper, on which he wrote a
name and then sent it to the rector.

"Billy Brown, our faithful organ boy," sounded through the church, and
with a brightened face Billy went up the aisle and received the little
package, ascertaining before he reached his standpoint near the door
that he was the owner of a five-dollar bill, and mentally deciding to
add both peanuts and molasses cand