When The Yule Log Burns Part 2

"Rheumatism!" said Ralph sharply.

"Yes," nodded Madge in surprise--"didn't you know. It's been pretty bad this winter. He's been thinking some of breaking in young Doctor Price to take part of his practise now and perhaps all of it later."

"Price!" broke out Ralph indignantly. "Oh--that's absurd! Price couldn't possibly swing Dad's work. He's not clever enough."

"He's the only one there is," said Madge and Ralph fell silent.

All about them lay a glittering moonlit country of peaceful, firelit homes and snowy hills--of long quiet roads and shadowy trees and presently Ralph spoke again.

"You like all this," he said abruptly, "the quiet--the country--and all of it?"

Sister Madge's black eyes glowed.

"After all," she said, "is it not the only way to live? This scent of the pine, the long white road, the wild-fire of the winter sunset and the wind and the hills--are they not G.o.d-made messages of mystery to man? Life among man-made things--like your cities--seems somehow to exaggerate the importance of man the maker. Life among the G.o.d-made hills dwarfs that artificial sense of egotism. It teaches you to marvel at the mystery of Creation. Yesterday when the Doctor and I were gathering the Christmas boughs, the holly glade in the forest seemed like some ancient mystic Christmas temple of the Druids where one might tell his rosary in crimson holly beads and forget the world!"

Well--perhaps there was something fine and sweet and holy in the country something--a tranquil simplicity--a hearty ruggedness--that city dwellers forfeited in their head-long rush for man-made pleasure. After all, perhaps the most enduring happiness lay in the heart of these quiet hills.

"My chief is very keen on country life," said Ralph suddenly. "He preaches a lot. Development of home-spirit and old-fas.h.i.+oned household G.o.ds--that sort of thing! He's a queerish sort of chap--my chief--and a bit too--er--candid at times. He was dad's old cla.s.smate, you know."

And Ralph fell silent again, frowning.

So Price was to take his father's practise! How it must gall the old Doctor! And mother was lonely, eh?--and Dad's rheumatism getting the best of him--Why Great Guns! mother and dad were growing _old_! And some of those snow-white hairs of theirs had come from worrying over him--John had said so. Ralph's dark face burned in the chill night wind.

Well, for all old John's cutting sarcasm, his father still had faith in him and the trust in young Roger's eloquent eyes had fairly hurt him.

G.o.d! they did not know! And then this queer Christmas heart-glow. How Griffin and Edwards and the rest of his gay friends would mock him for it? _Friends!_ After all--had he any friends in the finer sense of that finest of words? Such warm-hearted loyal friends for instance as these neighbors of his father's who had been dropping in all day with a hearty smile and a Christmas hand-shake. And black-eyed Sister Madge--this brave, little fighting gipsy-poet here--where--But here Ralph frowned again and looked away and even when the cheerful lights of home glimmered through the trees he was still thinking--after an impetuous burst of confidence to Sister Madge.

So, later, when Doctor Ralph entered his father's study--his chin was very determined.

"I was ashamed to tell you this morning, sir," he said steadily, "but I--I'm no longer on the staff of St. Michael's. My hand was shaking and--and the chief knew why. And, dad," he faced the old Doctor squarely, "I'm coming back home to keep your practise out of Price's fool hands. You've always wanted that and my chief has preached it too, though I couldn't see it somehow until to-day. And presently, sir, when--when my hand is steadier, I'm going to make the little chap walk and run. I've--promised Sister Madge." And the old Doctor cleared his throat and gulped--and finally he wiped his gla.s.ses and walked away to the window. For of all things G.o.d could give him--this surely was the best!

"Oh, grandpop," cried little John Leslie 3rd, bolting into the study in great excitement--"Come see Roger! We kids have made him the Christmas king and he's got a crown o' holly on and--and a wand and he's a-tappin'

us this way with it to make us Knights. And I'm the Fir-tree Knight--and Bob--he's a Cedar Knight and Ned's a spruce and Roger--he says his pretty sister tells him stories like that smarter'n any in the books.

Oh--do hurry!"

The old Doctor held out his hand to his son.

"Well, Doctor Ralph," he said huskily, "suppose we go tell mother."

So while the Doctor told Aunt Ellen, Ralph bent his knee to this excited Christmas King enthroned in the heart of the fire-shadows.

"Rise--" said Roger radiantly, tapping him with a cedar wand, "I--I dub thee first of all my knights--the good, kind Christmas Knight!"

"And here," said Ralph, smiling, "here's Sister Madge. What grand t.i.tle now shall we give to her?" But as Sister Madge knelt before him with firelit shadows dancing in her sweet, dark eyes, Roger dropped the wand and buried his face on her shoulder with a little sob.

"Nothing good enough for Sister Madge, eh?" broke in the old Doctor, looking up. "Well, sir, I think you're right."

Now in the silence Aunt Ellen spoke and her words were like a gentle Christmas benediction.

"'Unto us,'" said Aunt Ellen Leslie as she turned the Christmas log, "'this night a son is given!'"

But Ralph, by the window, had not heard. For wakening again in his heart as he stared at the peaceful, moonlit, "G.o.d-made" hills--was the old forgotten boyish love for this rugged, simple life of his father's dwarfing the lure of the city and the mockery of his fas.h.i.+onable friends. And down the lane of years ahead, bright with homely happiness and service to the needs of others--was the dark and winsome face of Sister Madge, stirring him to ardent resolution.

Part Two

In Which We Light the New Log with the Embers of the Old

I

The Fire Again

"Doctor!" said little Roger slyly, "you got your chin stuck out!"

The Doctor stroked his grizzled beard in hasty apology.

"G.o.d bless my soul," he admitted guiltily. "I do believe I have. You've been so quiet," he added accusingly, "curled up there by the fire that I must certainly have gotten lonesome. And I most always stick out my chin that way when I'm lonesome."

Roger, by way of reparation, betook himself to the arm of the Doctor's chair.

The Doctor's arm closed tight around him. A year ago this little adopted son of his had been very lame. It was the first Christmas in his life, indeed, that he had walked.

"Out there," said the Doctor, "the winter twilight's been fighting the alder berries with purple spears. It's conquered everything in the garden and covered it up with misty velvet save the snow and the berries. But the twilight's using heavier spears now and likely it'll win. _I_ want the alder berries to win out, drat it! Their blaze is so bright and cheerful."

Roger accepted the challenge to argument with enthusiasm.

"_I_ want the twilight to win," he said.

The Doctor looked slightly scandalized.

"Oh, my, my, my, my!" he said. "I can't for the life of me understand any such gloomy preference as that. Bless me, if I can."

"Why," crowed Roger jubilantly, "_I_ can, 'cause the more twilighty it gets, the more it's Christmas eve!"

The Doctor regarded his small friend with admiration.

"By George," he admitted, "I do believe you have me there--" but the Doctor's kindly eyes did not fire to the name of Christmas as Roger thought they ought.

"Almost," he said, "I thought you were going to stick out your chin again. And you're not lonesome now 'cause I'm here an' pretty noisy."

"Hum!" said the Doctor.

"Man to man, now!" urged Roger suddenly.

This was the accepted key to a confessional ceremony which required much politeness and ruthless honesty.