She was Judge Barker's daughter, and the girl who had joined him
in advising Jenny to hunt on the mountain for the Christmas-tree.
Maud stepped along, placing her trim little feet with dainty precision;
she wore some new high-buttoned overshoes. She also carried a new beaver
muff, but in one hand only. The other dangled mittenless at her side; it
was pink with cold, but on its third finger sparkled a new gold ring
with a blue stone in it.
"Oh, Earl!" she called out, "have they found Jenny Brown? I was going up
to your house to--Why, Earl Munroe, what have you got there?"
"I'm carrying up my Christmas-presents and the tree up to Jenny's--so
she'll find 'em when she comes back," said the boy, flushing red. There
was a little defiant choke in his voice.
"Why, what for?"
"I rather think they belong to her more'n they do to me, after what's
happened."
"Does your mother know?"
"No; she wouldn't care. She'd think I was only doing what I ought."
"All of 'em?" queried Maud, feebly.
"You don't s'pose I'd keep any back?"
Maud stood staring. It was beyond her little philosophy.
Earl was passing on when a thought struck him.
"Say, Maud," he cried, eagerly, "haven't you something you can put in?
Girls' things might please her better, you know. Some of mine
are--rather queer, I'm afraid."
"What have you got?" demanded Maud.
"Well, some of the things are well enough.
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