Page:St. Nicholas (serial) (IA stnicholasserial321dodg).pdf/181

1904] “Reach over your pointer,” he directed; and when Lisbeth had laid it across the chasm between the buildings, he hung the package upon it, and in another minute the little girl had drawn it over.

“Is it all right?” asked the judge, as he heard the crackle of the paper.

“Oh, yes, indeed! It is a delicious pickle, perfecty delicious.”

“Hum,” said the judge again, but this time there was just the ghost of a smile on his old face as he went over to the telephone, called up police headquarters, and gave a peremptory order.

“They ‘ll be up in a minute to let you out,” he informed Lisbeth, as he came back to the window; “and now I 've got to work, and you 'd better shut the window.”

“It ‘s very dark,” quavered the little voice.

Somewhere back in the judge’s past there had been a little child who at night would say, “It is very dark, father; stay with me,” and the judge had stayed, and had held the little clinging fingers until the child slept. But when the child grew to he a man, he had married a lady who did not please the judge, although she was sweet and good; but she was poor, and the judge was proud, and had wished for greater things from his son. And so the son had gone away, and for years the old man had shut his heart to all tenderness; but now the little voice woke memories, so that the judge’s tone was softer when he spoke again:

“Are you afraid?”

“It ’s dreadful lonesome,” was the wistful answer, “and it ’s awfully nice to have you to talk to.”

“Oh, is it?” said the flattered judge. “Well, you ’ve got to wrap up if you stand there. It ’s freezing cold.”

“Oh, I did n’t think!” Lisbeth’s tone was worried. “You will take cold. Oh, please shut your window.”

But this the judge refused to do.

“I ’ll put my overcoat on, and pass Miss Jenkins’s cape over to you. It ’s the first time I have ever seen any reason for her having it here,” he grumbled as he took it from its hook.

So while the important case waited for the judge’s review, the two shrouded figures sat at opposite windows, while between them the snow came down faster and faster. The judge’s office was brilliantly lighted, and Lisbeth could see every expression of the old man’s face; but the judge could see nothing of the little girl, so that her voice seemed to come from out of the night.

While they waited thus, Lisbeth told the judge about her older sister, who had taken care of them both ever since their father died, and how Lisbeth kept house when she was not at school; and, best of all, she told him that she had saved twenty-five cents to spend for Christmas presents, and she was going to buy a pair of gloves for sister.

“And what will you have for Christmas?” asked the judge, interested in spite of himself.

“Oh, sister ‘ll give me something,” said the child, cheerfully.“ “Prob‘ly it will be something useful. If she gives me a dress she can‘t give me any toys or candy, And then, besides, she had to spend fifty cents for the chicken—they ’re so ’spensive.”

“Chicken?” asked the judge.

“Yes, for our dinner. We ’re going to divide with the McGafneys on the top floor. They 're awfully poor, and there ’s four children, but we 're going to boil the chicken, and have lots of gravy and potatoes, so as to make enough. At first we thought we would n’t ask them, and have enough ourselves for once; but sister decided that Christmas was the time to make other people happy, and of course it is.”

“Of course,” assented the judge, feeling very small indeed when he thought of his gruff reply to Miss Jenkins, and of how he had sent poor George away without even a Christmas wish.

On and on chatted the little voice in the darkness, while the judge, listening, felt the ice melt around his old heart.

“I shall have to eat my dinner all alone tomorrow,” he found himself confiding, presently.

“Oh, you poor man!” cried the little girl. “Maybe we ‘ll have enough—I ‘ll ask my sister—” But before she could finish her invitation a loud knock echoed through the building.

“They ’ve come,” said the judge. “Now you just sit still until they come upstairs and get you; don’t go bumping around in the dark.