THE LIEUTENANT'S STORY CONCLUDED. 291 
Ah, how dark the Shadow was then ! The storm had 
ceased, but the keen northwest wind still swept the 
streets, filling the air with fine, icy particles of snow, and 
driving to their warm homes those who had remained 
down town to make their last purchases. 
The man shivered and sobbed by turns, and was quite 
the sport of the wind, which was buffeting him with its 
soft, cruel paws, when suddenly the world seemed to grow 
warmer. He felt something heavy and soft upon his 
back and around his neck. Mechanically thrusting his 
arms through the sleeves which opened to meet them, and 
looking up in amazement, he beheld his new friend stand- 
ing upon the sidewalk in his dressing-gown, a genial 
smile upon his beaming face, and his hand outstretched. 
The lawyer laughed gleefully at his consternation. 
" It's all right," he said, as the discouraged man tried 
to pull off the ulster and return it to its owner. " I'm 
warmer than ever. Come on, let's go home and see your 
wife and children. Don't stop to talk ! " And seizing 
the other by the hand, or rather the cuff of his sleeve, 
which was much too long for him, he hurried him off, 
snatching a couple of wreaths from the stand as he went 
by, and dropping a half-dollar in their place. 
It was a strange experience for the proud lawyer, that 
walk through the dark streets, floundering among snow- 
drifts, slipping, tumbling, scrambling along over icy side- 
walks and buried crossings, the long-skirted gown flapping 
about his heels in the most ridiculous way. He kept his 
