y spark, tremulous at first, like a bird alighting on
a frail branch, paused, steadied, and became fixed. In the light of a
small taper the man caught a glimpse of a pale, long face in a frame of
silver hair. It faded into the background. But above the candle he now saw,
with arms outstretched as it seemed toward himself, a pink little angel
with gauzy wings.

The man's heart gave a leap. Sudden memories thronged his brain, making him
almost dizzy. At last they formulated into one smothered cry. "The
Christmas Angel! It is the very same pink Angel that Angelina and I used to
hang on our Christmas tree!"

In three great leaps, like a schoolboy, he crossed the street and ran up
the steps of Number 87. The Christmas Angel seemed to smile with ineffable
sweetness as he gave the bell a vigorous pull.

CHAPTER XIV

TOM

Miss Terry was leaning on the mantel-shelf looking into the fire, when the
bell pealed furiously. She started and turned pale.

"Lord 'a' mercy!" ejaculated Norah, who was still admiring the effect of
the window-decoration. "What's that? Who can be calling here to-night,
making such a noise?"

"Go to the door, Norah," said Miss Terry with a strange note in her voice.
"It may be some one to see me. It is not too late."

"Yes'm," said Norah, obedient but bewildered.

Presently the library door opened and a figure strode in; a tall,
broad-shouldered man in a fur overcoat. For a moment he stood just inside
the door, hesitating. Miss Terry took two steps forward from the
fire-place.

"Tom!" she said faintly. "You came,--after all!"

"After all, Angelina," he said. "Yes, because I saw _that_," he waved his
hand toward the window. "That gave me courage to come in. It is our
Christmas Angel. I remember all about it. Does it mean anything, Angelina?"

Miss Terry held out a moment longer. Then she faltered forward. "O Tom!"
she sobbed, as she felt his brotherly, strong arms about her. "O Tom! And
so he has brought you back to me, and me to you!"

"He? Angelina girl, who?" He smoothed her silver hair with rough, kind
fingers.

"Why, the Christmas Angel; our Guardian Angel, Tom. All these years I kept
him in the play box, and I was going to burn him up. But I couldn't do it,
Tom. How wonderful it is!"

They sat down before the fire and she began to tell him the whole story.
But she interrupted herself to send for Norah, who came to her, mystified
and half scandalized by the greeting which she ha