THE LIEUTENANT'S STORY CONCLUDED. 289 
I forgot. I will, please God, brighten this spot and turn 
away the Shadow ! " 
Without further delay, he advanced through the gloomy 
space until he reached the box upon which a large lot of 
holly wreaths and crosses were displayed. He soon com- 
pleted the purchase of a fine, thick fir, and sent it, to- 
gether with a roll of evergreens, to the toy-shop, directed, 
like the parcel, to the conductor. 
The owner of the stand was a jovial, bright-faced young 
fellow, and it was evident that to him Christmas meant 
only gladness and jollity. But the Shadow still rested 
upon Mr. Broadstreet and all the snowy sidewalk about 
him. He was thoroughly puzzled to find its object, and 
had almost begun to consider the whole affair a delusion, 
when his eyes fell upon an odd little man, standing in 
the shelter of the trees, and visibly shaking with the 
cold, although his coat was tightly buttoned about his 
meagre form, and his old hat pulled down over his ears. 
As he saw the portly lawyer looking at him, he advanced 
timidly, and touched his hat with a not ungraceful 
movement. 
" Can I carry a bundle for you, sir ? " he asked, his 
teeth chattering as he spoke. 
"Why, I'm afraid not," said Mr. Broadstreet. "I've 
just sent away all my goods." 
The man's face fell. He touched his hat again, and 
was humbly turning away, when the other laid his hand 
lightly on his shoulder. 
