A little fellow not over ten years old, with great blue eyes that were just now alight with eagerness, paused abruptly as he caught sight of Mr. and Mrs. Vance. He made a pathetic looking figure as he stood in the doorway. He was deplorably lame and leaned on a pair of rude crutches for support, balancing in some way known only to himself, a long bundle under his arm. "Have a chair, my boy," said Mr. Vance, kindly noticing his embarrassment. "Did you wish to see Jeanne?" "Yes, sir." The boy sat down and then opened his bundle disclosing a pair of well made crutches. "The girls told me what they wuz doing fer the sogers and I've been thinking ever since what I could do. I didn't have no money ner nuffin' ter give 'cepting these crutches. I thought mebbe they'd do some pore feller some good what 'ud have his leg cut off." "But where did you get them?" queried Mr. Vance. "They wuz mine, sir. Bill, a sailor man I knows, he spliced on some pieces to make 'em longer, and there they are, sir." "My lad," and Mr. Vance laid his hand softly on the boy's head, "it is a great deal for you to give. You need them yourself." "I'll get along all right," said the boy eagerly. "'Deed I will, Mr. Vance. See, Bill he rigged me up a pair that'll do me all right, an' I'd like ter help some pore feller." Mr. Vance gazed pityingly at the rude substitutes which the boy held up, and then looked at the crutches so deftly lengthened. His voice was husky as he spoke: "It is a great gift. More than you should give." "It ain't nuthin'," answered the lad. "I feel fer the feller that is born with two good legs an' then loses one of them." Mr. Vance nodded understandingly. Mrs. Vance's eyes were full to overflowing as she stroked the boy's hair gently. "We'll write a little note and tie on the crutches," she said. "Then whoever gets them will know who gave them." "That will be fine," cried the lad gleefully. "I'm so glad you'll take them. I wuz afraid mebbe it wouldn't be enough ter give." "It is more than we have done," said Jeanne as soon as she was able to speak. "Then good-bye," and Eddie arose. "I'll run back and tell mother." He nodded to them and left the room, his face aglow with satisfaction. "We haven't done anything," said Jeanne emphatically. "We didn't give a thing we could not do without. Oh, I feel so mean!" She looked at the girls tearfully, then drew a slender chain from her throat, and detached the gold piece which was suspended from it. "There!" she said, putting it with the bills on the table. "Uncle Joe gave me that before he went to the army. After he was killed at Shiloh I thought I would never part with it, but I am going to let it go for the soldiers too." "It is good for us," said Nellie wiping her eyes. "We were awfully puffed up over this fair. I was beginning to think that we had done something great." Mr. Vance laughed.