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228 a proud flag in a stiff breeze in the poise of her head. The bed behind her was ripped wide open, the bedclothes stretched back over a chair at the foot. The pillows, stripped now of their white cases, perched atop the turned-back clothes. An array of many-colored Christmas gifts lay in confusion on the table. A pair of patent leather shoes stood at attention upon a near-by chair.

Mrs. Harvey jerked her head into an emphatic little nod at sight of Mrs. Jesse.

"Good morning, Mrs. Jesse," she staccatoed. "Merry Christmas, dear. I'm up, you see. Come in. Do! Sit down! I've got fifteen coming to dinner," she boasted. "Tell you what—I've got to get down-stairs and see about my table—surprise the children. You can hook me up. Seems my children had to have their tree anyhow! Those are my presents on the table there. Did you ever see such a show? I want you to go up-stairs to the attic and bring down all there is in the third trunk on the left. Guess I got enough to just about go around. Nothing like the convenience of a gift-trunk, Mrs. Jesse. Always said so. You better start one. Awful handy."

Mrs. Jesse closed the door behind her and quickly went over to Mrs. Harvey.