Mr. Kris Kringle | Page 4

see him once! He touched the
sister asleep in her bed near by, and at last shook her gently.
"What is it, Hugh?" she said.
"I hear Khwis. I know it is Khwis!"
"O Hugh! I hear too, but it might be a robber."
"No, nevah on Chwistmas Eve. It couldn't be a wobber. It is Khwis. I
mean to go and see. I hear him outside. You know, Alice, there is
nevah, nevah any wickedness on Chwistmas Eve."
"But if it is a robber he might take you away."
"Oh! wobbers steal girls, but they nevah, nevah steal boys, and you
needn't go."
"But are you sure? Oh! do listen," she added. Both heard the creaking
noise of footsteps in the dry snow.
[Illustration: "MR. KHWIS KWINGLE, ARE YOU THERE? OR IS
YOU A WOBBER?"]
"I will look--I must look," cried Hugh, slipping from his bed. In a
moment he had raised the sash and was looking out into the night. The
sounds he had heard ceased. He could see no one. "He has gone,
Alice." Then he cried, "Mr. Khwis Kwingle, are you there? or is you a
wobber?" As he spoke a cloaked man came from behind a great pine
and stood amid the thickly-fallen flakes.

"Why, that is Hugh," he said. "Hugh!"
"He does know my name," whispered the lad to the small counsellor
now at his side.
"And, of course, I am Kris Kringle. And I have a bag full of presents.
But come softly down and let me in, and don't make a noise or away I
go; and bring Alice."
The girl was still in doubt, but her desire for the promised gifts was
strong, and in the very blood of the boy was the spirit of daring
adventure. There was a moment of whispered indecision, resulting in
two bits of conclusive wisdom.
Said Alice, "If we go together, Hugh, and he takes one, the other can
squeal. Oh! very loud like a bear--a big bear."
"And," said Hugh, "I will get my gweat gwandpapa's sword." And with
this he got upon a chair and by the failing light of the nursery fire
carefully took down from over the chimney the dress rapier which had
figured at peaceful levees of other days. "Now," he said, "if you are
afwaid I will go all alone myself."
"I am dreadfully afraid," said she, "but I will go, too." So she hastily
slipped on a little white wrapper and he his well-worn brown velvet
knickerbocker trousers. Neither had ever known a being they had
reason to fear, and so, with beating hearts, but brave enough, they stole
quietly out in their sweet innocence and hand in hand went down the
dark staircase, still hearing faint noises as they felt their way. They
crossed the great warm library and entered the hall, where, with much
effort, they unlocked the door and lifted the old-fashioned bar which
guarded it. The cold air swept in, and before them was a tall man in a
cloak half white with snow. He said at once, "Oh! Hugh! Alice!
Pleasant Christmas to you. Let us get in out of the cold; but
carefully--carefully, no sound!" As he spoke he shut the door behind
him. "Come," he said, and seeming to know the way, went before them
into the library.

"Oh! I'm so frightened," said Alice to Hugh in a whisper. "I wish I was
in bed."
Not so the boy. The man pushed away the ashes from the smouldering
logs, and took from the wood basket a quantity of birch bark and great
cones of the pine. As he cast them on the quick embers a fierce red
blaze went up, and the room was all alight. And now he turned quickly,
for Hugh, of a mind to settle the matter, was standing on guard between
him and the door to the stairway, which they had left open when they
came down. The man smiled as he saw the lad push his sister back and
come a step or two forward. He made a pretty picture in his white shirt,
brown knee-breeches, and little bare legs, the yellow locks about his
shoulders, the rapier in his hand, alert and quite fearless.
[Illustration: HE MADE A PRETTY PICTURE--ALERT AND QUITE
FEARLESS.]
"My sister thinks perhaps you are a wobber, sir; but I think you are Mr.
Khwis Kwingle."
"Yes, I am Kris Kringle to-night, and you see I know your
names--Alice, Hugh." His cloak fell from him, and he stood smiling, a
handsome Chris. "Do not be afraid. Be sure I love little children. Come,
let us talk a bit."
"It's all wite, Alice," said the boy. "I said he wasn't a wobber."
And they went hand in hand toward the fire, now a brilliant