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in expectation of the guests, had been cleaned
as carefully as possible and Mrs. Woods looked
as if there was some hope in living now. She
was being helped over the hard place.

"No, thanks, we can't stay," continued Betty,
at the invitation to come in. "We have to get
back." With this she handed Mrs. Woods the
small basket she carried and Kathryn put into
the hands of the older girl a package she was
holding. Chet and Chauncey lugged in the
bushel basket. "Don't let the children see what's
in the little basket till Christmas morning, Mrs.
Woods," said Betty with an air of mystery;
and one of the children jumped up and down
at that happy suggestion.

Tears came into Mrs. Woods' eyes. "May
God bless you all," said she. "And there is a
chance that he may get work the first of the
year, steady work, I mean. He's out in one of
the suburbs now, putting coal in for a man."

"Oh, tell me, Mrs. Woods, about the Sevillas,"
suddenly said Kathryn, more or less embar-
rassed by Mrs. Woods' fervent thanks, to which
Betty was responding with the wish that every-
thing would "come right" for them.

"Yes, -- sure enough. Why the old lady was
well pleased to be remembered with a Thanks-
giving gift and Rosie did not mind as much as

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