very conscious of the shining chain on my breast. Suddenly
the giant, Rodney Barnes, jumped out of his chair and, embracing the
wood-box, lifted it and the wood and me in his great arms and danced
lightly around a group of the ladies with his burden and set it down in
its place again very gently. What a hero he became in my eyes after
that!

"If ye should go off some day an' come back an' find yer house missin'
ye may know that Rodney Barnes has been here," said Uncle Hiram. "A man
as stout as Rodney is about as dangerous as a fire."

Then what Falstaffian peals of laughter!

In the midst of it Aunt Deel opened the front door and old Kate, the
Silent Woman, entered. To my surprise, she wore a decent-looking dress
of gray homespun cloth and a white cloud looped over her head and ears
and tied around her neck and a good pair of boots.

"Merry Chris'mas!" we all shouted.

She smiled and nodded her head and sat down in the chair which Uncle
Peabody had placed for her at the stove side. Aunt Deel took the cloud
off her head while Kate drew her mittens--newly knitted of the best
yarn. Then my aunt brought some stockings and a shawl from the tree and
laid them on the lap of old Kate. What a silence fell upon us as we saw
tears coursing down the cheeks of this lonely old woman of the
countryside!--tears of joy, doubtless, for God knows how long it had
been since the poor, abandoned soul had seen a merry Christmas and
shared its kindness. I did not fail to observe how clean her face and
hands looked! She was greatly changed.

She took my hand as I went to her side and tenderly caressed it. A
gentler smile came to her face than ever I had seen upon it. The old
stern look returned for a moment as she held one finger aloft in a
gesture which only I and my Aunt Deel understood. We knew it signalized
a peril and a mystery. That I should have to meet it, somewhere up the
hidden pathway, I had no doubt whatever.

"Dinner's ready!" exclaimed the cheerful voice of Aunt Deel.

Then what a stirring of chairs and feet as we sat down at the table. Old
Kate sat by the side of my aunt and we were all surprised at her good
manners.

Uncle Jabez--a member of the white church--prayed for a moment as we sat
with bowed heads. I have never forgotten his simple eloquence as he
prayed for the poor and for him who was sitting in the shadow of death
(I knew that he referred to Amos Grimshaw and whispered amen) and for
our forgiveness.

We j