VI.
THE day before Christmas was a busy day for the whole town, and not least busy for the kind ladies who were distributing goods to the poor.
Miss Falbe was usually not so deeply interested at Christmas; for, odd and singular as she was in everything, she used to keep the little she had, until after Christmas. But yet to-day she was in a hurry from early morning.
She searched the town up and down, for she had made up her mind to find Elsie.
It was over a month since she had seen her; but to-day, when everybody was happy and enjoying themselves, she could not get poor Elsie out of her head; and she hunted high and low for her in all the crannies and hovels of the poor.
Late in the afternoon, when she had almost given it up, she suddenly met Elsie at a street corner.
Miss Falbe had often seen how quickly beauty, youth and grace fall from those who follow Loppen’s path; but never before had she seen such a change.
But she was not the woman to be frightened off. With a tight grasp she seized Loppen by the arm, when she tried to run, and said quietly, as if nothing was the matter:
“Good evening, Elsie! It is nice that I met you. Won’t you come and eat Christmas porridge with us this evening?”