"It made me cry at first; for I thought she might be singing the angels' song in another world before Christmas morning shone upon this. But presently I recovered myself a little and joined my voice to hers. For more than two hours we sat there in the tree, singing chants and hymns and repeating parts of the Church service. We knew plenty of songs, but we did not feel like singing them then."
"'This is Christmas Eve,' said Carry, at last. 'Can you realize it, Harry?'"
"I did realize it, bitterly enough. 'Yes,' said I; 'and all our folks—yours and mine—are enjoying it at home, never thinking of us!'"
"'Perhaps they do think of us,' said Carry softly. 'And at any rate, Harry, God thinks of us.'"
"'Why don't He help us, then?' I thought, rebelliously enough, and then the thought crossed me that I had never in my life asked Him honestly to help me—never, in fact, felt the need of His help. I had always felt sufficient to myself, and it was this very self-sufficiency which had brought us into all this trouble."
"'Carry,' said I, half-choking, 'do say that you forgive me for bringing you into this scrape.'"
"'There is nothing to forgive,' replied Carry. 'It was not your fault. You did not know anything about the wolves.'"
"'I did! I did!' I cried. 'Mr. Jones warned me not to come by this road, but I thought I knew best. Oh, Carry, can you forgive me?'"
"Carry was silent for a moment. 'I forgive you,' said she; 'but, Harry, let this be a lesson to you!'"
"Notwithstanding all our exertions to keep warm and wakeful, we began to be very much overcome with the cold. I tried to say my prayers, to confess my sins, and to pray for my poor mother and sisters, but my head was growing confused, and I could think of nothing distinctly. Carry was now quite silent, but I could see that her lips moved. Suddenly she gave such a violent start that I thought she was going to fall."