And Merle tightened her little furry arms about her mother’s furry collar, and they somehow struggled and stumbled up to Uncle Tim’s porch. There was light in one of the windows, but no light in the hall. But after a while footsteps came——
“Molly!” said the pale, tall, gentle woman who opened the door, “and your dear baby!”
“Cassie—may we come in?” Merle had never heard her mother speak in quite this tone before.
They went in to a sort of red-tinted dimness. But in the dining-room there was sudden light, and they all blinked at each other. And Merle instantly saw that over the mantel two short stockings and tiny socks were suspended.
The women were talking in short sentences.
“Molly!”
“Cassie——”
“But in all this snow——”
“We didn’t mind it.”
“I’m so glad.”