."

He was learning and the lesson was already bringing him pleasure.

He took the shopkeeper aside and had a little talk with him, learning
from him all he could of Clark's family and circumstances. It was an
amazement to him. He had never known what a burden Clark had carried.
The shopkeeper spoke of him with great affection and with great respect.

"He is the best man in the world," he said.

He treated Livingstone with familiarity, but he spoke of Clark with
respect.

"He ought to be on the Avenue," he asserted; "and if everybody had their
rights some would be where Mr. Clark is and Mr. Clark would be in their
place."

Livingstone was not prepared just then to gainsay this.

He explained to Mr. Brown his wishes. He wanted to get many things, but
did not know how to keep the child from suspecting his plan. The
shopkeeper gave him a suggestion. Close association and sympathy with
children had given Brown knowledge.

CHAPTER XIII

They returned to Kitty. She was busy figuring on a little piece of
paper, moistening her little stub of a pencil, every other second, with
her tongue. Her little red mouth showed streaks of black. She was
evidently in some trouble.

Livingstone drew near.

"How are you coming on?" he asked.

She looked up with a face full of perplexity.

"Oh! I've spent nearly the whole dollar and I haven't but nine presents
yet. We must get something cheaper.--But they were so pretty!" she
lamented, her eyes glancing longingly towards the articles she had
selected.

"Let's see. Maybe, you have made a mistake," said Livingstone. He took
the bit of paper and she handed him the pencil.

"I'm not very good at making figures," she observed.

"I'm not either," said Livingstone, glancing at the paper. "I'll tell
you what let's do," he said. "Let's get Mr. Brown to open all his cases
and boxes, and let's look at everything and just see what we would
select if we could have our choice?"

The little girl's eyes opened wide.

"You mean, let's make pretense that we are real sure-enough Santa Claus
and just pick out everything we want to give everybody, and pretend that
we could get it and give it to them?"

Livingstone nodded.

"Yes."

That was just what he ought to have meant, he knew.

The inquiry in Kitty's big eyes became light. She sprang to her feet and
with a little squeak of delight marched to the middle of the shop and
taking her stand began to sweep the shelves with her da