my, my, my!" he said. "I can't for the life of me understand
any such gloomy preference as that. Bless me, if I can."

"Why," crowed Roger jubilantly, "_I_ can, 'cause the more twilighty it
gets, the more it's Christmas eve!"

The Doctor regarded his small friend with admiration.

"By George," he admitted, "I do believe you have me there--" but the
Doctor's kindly eyes did not fire to the name of Christmas as Roger
thought they ought.

"Almost," he said, "I thought you were going to stick out your chin
again. And you're not lonesome now 'cause I'm here an' pretty noisy."

"Hum!" said the Doctor.

"Man to man, now!" urged Roger suddenly.

This was the accepted key to a confessional ceremony which required much
politeness and ruthless honesty.

"Well, Mr. Hildreth," began the Doctor formally.

Roger's face fell.

"I'm your adopted son," he hinted, "and you said that made my name same
as yours."

"Mr. Leslie!" corrected the Doctor, and Roger glowed.

"Well, Mr. Leslie," went on the Doctor thoughtfully, "I'm chuck full of
grievances. There's the rheumatism in my leg, for instance. That's no
sort of thing to have at Christmas."

"But that's better," said Roger. "You said so this morning. I 'spect you
been thinkin' too much about it like you said I did when my leg was
stiff."

"Ahem! And I did hope somebody would come home for Christmas. I like a
house full of romping youngsters--"

Roger pointed an accusing finger.

"Aunt Ellen says every blessed one of your children, an' your
grand-children too, begged and begged you to come to the city for
Christmas an'--an' you wouldn't go 'cause you're old-fashioned and like
a country Christmas so much better--an'--an' because you'd promised to
teach me to skate on the Deacon's pond an' take me sleighin'."

"Dear me," said the Doctor helplessly, "for such a mite of a kiddy, you
do seem remarkably well informed."

"Man to man," reminded Roger inexorably and the Doctor aired his final
grievance.

"And then there's that youngest son of mine--"

"Doctor Ralph?"

"Doctor Ralph! What right had he, I'd like to know, to marry that pretty
sister of yours and go off honeymooning holiday time. Didn't he know
that we needed him and Sister Madge here for Christmas? I miss 'em both.
Young pirate!"

Roger's heart swelled with loyalty. It was Doctor Ralph's skilful hand
that had helped him walk.

"Most likely," he said fairly, "I'm a little to blame there. After I
came h