"I--I blew us to a real Christmas, darlin', us and the kid. I--I couldn't help it. I couldn't bear to have her wake up without it, Harry, her and you--and me." "A real Christmas, baby!" "Red wine for you, darlin', like I brought you last Tuesday night and warmed you up so nice. The kind the doctor says is so grand for you, darlin'--red wine without bubbles like he says you gotta have." "Red wine!" "Yeh, and black grapes like I brought you last Tuesday, and like he says you oughtta have--black grapes and swell fruit that's good for you, darlin'." "A real blow-out, Vi-dee." "A bear for the kid, Harry!" "Vi!" "Yeh, a real brown grizz, with the grin and all, like she cried for in the window that Sunday--a real big brown one with the grin and all." "That cost a real bunch of money, sweet!" "Yeh, I blew me like sixty for it, hon, but she cried for it that Sunday and she had to have a Christmas, didn't she, darlin', even if she is too little. It--it would 'a' broke my heart to have her wake up to-morrow without one." He regarded her through the glaze of tears. "My little kiddo!" '"S-s-s-s-h!" "It just don't seem fair for you to have to--" "'S-s-s-s-h! Everything's fair, darlin', in love and war. All the rules for the game of living ain't written down--the Eleventh Commandment and the Twelfth Commandment and the Ninth Commandment." "My little kiddo!" "To-morrow, Harry, to-morrow, Harry, we're going! South, darlin', where he says the sun is going to warm you through and through. To-morrow, darlin'!" "The next day, sweetness. You're all worn out and to-morrow's Christmas, and--" But the shivering took hold of her again, and when she pressed her hand over his mouth he could feel it trembling. "To-morrow, darlin', to-morrow before eight. Every day counts. Promise me, darlin'. I--I just can't live if you don't. To-morrow before eight. Promise me, darlin'! Oh, promise me, darlin'!" "Poor, tired little kiddo, to-morrow before eight, then, to-morrow before eight we go." Her head relaxed. "You're tired out, darlin'. Get to bed, baby. We got a big day to-morrow. We got a big day to-morrow, darlin'! Get to bed, Vi-dee." "I wanna spread out her Christmas first, Harry. I want her to see it when she wakes up. I couldn't stand her not seem' it." She scurried to the hall and back again, and at the foot of the bed she spread her gaudy wares: An iridescent rubber ball glowing with six colors; a ribbon of gilt paper festooned to the crib; a gleaming Christmas star that dangled and gave out radiance; a huge brown bear standing upright, and with bead eyes and a grin. T.B.