"Oh, sir! I can never, never thank you!"
"Never mind. I don't want thanks. Good-bye."
"Good-bye, sir!"
The child gave him a long look full of gratitude; then, clasping her treasure closely in her arms, she darted down the street, and was soon lost in the hurrying crowd of pedestrians.
"Poor little soul!" Jim thought. "I'm glad I was able to gratify her desire. Well, Miss Nellie will not have such an expensive present as I intended, but she won't mind, and I think I'll write and tell her of this little adventure; she will be interested."
The young man hastened home, swinging along with easy strides, his thoughts busy with his little niece in Cornwall and the child whom he had rendered happy in his impulsive way. Arrived at his lodgings, he found his tea awaiting him, and his landlady forgot her household cares as she answered his cheery greeting.
"A dull evening, Mrs. Metherell," he remarked, as she brought in the tea-pot, and he sat down to his frugal meal; "but I never mind the weather! We shall soon have Christmas now, and I begin to feel quite Christmassy already!"