Santa Claus's Partner

s had increased and just as Livingstone turned the corner a sleigh dashed past him. He heard the merry v

ung girl's musical laughter like a silvery chime, and, standing there in the snow-covered street, for one moment Livingstone was young again-no longer a gray-haired man in the city; but a young man in the country, somewhere under great arching boughs; face to face with one who was also young;-and, looking out from a

d, eager hands to catch the vision; but his arms enclos

eir homes a party of pleasure-seekers was on his way back to his stable. He agreed with Livingstone to take him to

t mounted the small flight of steps. Inside, pandemonium seemed to have broken loose somewhere up-stairs, such running

lling down the stairs and towards the door, with a scamper of little feet and shrieks of childish delight. They were interrupted

a Claus might jump into his sleigh and drive away and leave nobody at the door but a grocer's boy with a parcel. This direful threat had its effect. The gleeful

tle passage for a moment Clark entered the first room-the front room-and Livingstone could hear him sending the occupants into a rear room. He heard the communicating door close softly. Every sound was s

s a small f

r of distinction. Several old prints hung on the walls, a couple of portraits in pink crayon, such as St. Mimin us

wed that the house held an invalid. In one corner a Christmas-tree, half dressed, explained the litter. It was not a very large tree; certainly it was not very richly dre

ere they had been placed ready for service and had be

ed instinctively t

sing a tree for the ch

a chair. He stiffened as he did so. H

was an awkward moment.

come to ask you a f

nd his lips even parted sl

ttle girl-the little girl I saw

zzled that Livingstone thoug

th the Golden Loc

-I don't understand

denly: "Clark, I have bee

Mr. L

harp dissent Living

ears and I have just awakened to the fact!" He spoke in bitter, impatient

the other

ou have always been just-and-just;" h

Livingstone, "a blind, cur

James, said you were not well this evening when I called. I wanted to go in to see you, bu

was suffering from blindness. But I am bett

o lend me your little girl for-" He broke off suddenly

k. "But I haven't one I co

little while.-Wait, and let me tell you what I want with her an

en with a wondering face, and then with a face deeply moved, as Livingstone, under his

rk, for just a little while to-night a

her, Mr. Livingstone," he said, gravely. "She is not ve

ne though

not want me to compe

not," said