“Yes, dear,” their mother said eagerly, as if she were glad to have the little pause bridged. “But I’m afraid Santa Claus is going to be too busy to remember them this year! I’ve just been telling them that perhaps he wouldn’t have time to put anything but some candy and some fruit in, this year!”
“They believe in Santa Claus,” Merle remarked, faintly reproachful, to her mother. “But I’m younger than Tommy, and I don’t!”
“But you may if you want to, dear!” Doctor Madison said, shaken, yet laughing, and kneeling down to put her arms about the little girl. “Cassie, what can I do for Tim?” she pleaded. “We’re neither of us children. I don’t have to say that I’m sorry—that it’s all been a bad dream of coldness and stupidity.”
“Oh, Molly—Molly!” the other woman faltered. And tears came into the eyes that had not known them for hard and weary weeks. “He was to blame more than you—I always said so. He knew it! And he did try to write you! He’s grieved over it so. But when he met you in the street that day——”
“I know it! I know it! He was wrong—I was wrong—you were the only sensible one, the peacemaker, between us!” the doctor said eagerly and quickly. “It’s over. It’s for us now to see that the children are wiser in their day and generation!”
“Ah, Molly, but you were always so wonderful!” faltered Cassie Rutledge. And suddenly the two women were in each other’s arms. “Molly, we’ve missed—just you—so!” she sobbed.
Two small shabby boys in pajamas had come solemnly in from the direction of the kitchen, whence also proceeded the fretting of a baby. Merle was introduced to Tommy and Rawley and was shy. But she immediately took full charge of the baby.
“Santa Claus may not give us anything but apples and stuff,” Rawley, who was six, confided. “Because Dad was sick, and there are lots of poor children this year!”
“And we aren’t going to have any turkey because Dad and John couldn’t have any, anyway!” Tommy added philosophically.
John was the baby, who now looked dewily and sleepily at the company from above the teething biscuit with which he was smearing his entire countenance.