feeling he came forward to assist the host was a little man and could not reach the gifts that hung on the boughs of the tree being tall and having a long reach of arm came to his aid that s right that s right gasped his round face red and shining with his exertions the best gifts are up here as the best gifts of man are from heaven put in mrs with her usual tact laughed quite so quite so he said careful as was else not to offend the lady but on this occasion we can obtain the best gifts i and ware and mrs have contributed to the tree the children have their presents now for the presents of the by this time the children were with food and the christmas tree distracted by many presents they were seated everywhere many on the floor and the room was a chaos of trumpets toy horses and the chatter of the children and the noise of the instruments was fearful but seemed to enjoy the riot and even his wife s grave face relaxed when she saw her three precious jewels rosy with pleasure she drew anne s attention to them and the smiled miss was popular with save in that happy home meantime handed down the presents mrs received a chain purse from her affectionate husband mrs a silver cream which she immediately as cheap mrs laughed over a case which she admitted revealed her favorite vice and the was made happy with a it has been taken to your house this evening explained we couldn t put that on the tree ha a chain for said presenting hei with the packet and i hope you will like it dear did you buy it she asked sparkling and of course i bought presents both for you and miss here is yours he added turning to the who grew rosy a very simple i wish it were more worthy of your acceptance and he handed it with a bow her heart filled with jealousy glided away saw her face guessed her feeling and followed in a comer he caught her and placed something on her finger our engagement ring he whispered and once more smiled her lover smiled also but his heart was heavy chapter n an letter after the riot of the evening came the silence of the night the children departed amidst the stormy laughter of and it was anne s task to see that the were put comfortably to bed she sat in the nursery and watched the washing and and hair curling and listened to their joyous chatter about the wonderful presents and the wonderful pleasures of that day afterwards when they were safely tucked away she went down to supper and received the compliments of on her in entertaining children mrs also and in a more genuine way added her of praise you are my right hand miss she said with a smile in her weary blue eyes i don t know what i shall do without you oh miss is not going said the master of the house who knows smiled anne i have always been a wanderer and it may be that i shall be called away suddenly it was on the tip of s tongue to ask by whom but the of anne s face and the flash of her dark eyes made him change his mind all the same he concluded that there was by whom she might be summoned and guessed also that the obeying of the call an letter would come as an unwilling duty mrs saw nothing of this she had not much brain power and what she had was devoted to considerations dealing with the passing hour at the present moment she could only think that it was time for supper and that all present were hungry and tired hungry anne certainly was not but she confessed to feeling weary making some excuse she retired to her room but not to sleep when the door was locked she put on her dressing gown shook down her long black hair and sat by the fire her thoughts were not pleasant filled with shame at the knowledge of his treachery towards the woman he was engaged to marry had kept close to s side during supper and afterwards he strove to interest himself in her somewhat childish chatter and made her so happy by his mere presence that her face was shining with smiles by love and by gratified vanity looked really pretty and in her heart was scornful of poor anne thus left out in the cold she concluded that loved her best after all and did not see how he every now and then stealthily glanced at the wearily striving to interest herself in the conversation of or the domestic chatter of his wife in her heart anne had felt a pang at this desertion although she knew that it was perfectly and unable to bear the sight of s brilliant face she retired thus early she loved it was no use the fact she loved him with every fibre of her nature and with a passion far stronger than could be felt for him by the doll with the shallow eyes for she would have lost the world but she would not have him lose his for her and after all she had no right to creep like a a coin of edward vii serpent into the of silly in her own way the child � for she was little else � adored and as he was her lover it would be base to come between her and her god but anne knew in her heart that loved her best if she did but lift her hand he would leave all and follow her to the world s end but lift her hand she would not it would be too cruel to break the 