Dora looked up at the sky. The moon was so bright that only the largest stars could show to-night. There was Orion with his flaming belt and sword. Dora knew several star-groups now. She and Uncle Dan and Olive had gone out one night with a flash-light and the star-book from the Public Library and traced them. Still, Mrs. Merrill did not come. “Father,” asked Dora, “do you think angels come down to earth now?” “If they ever come, it is at Christmas,” said Father, and he went on humming the words which were now faint in the distance. “O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing.” Suddenly the windows of the Merrill parlor turned a warm crimson. From them streamed a soft red light. “Oh, look, Father! Look, Dora!” exclaimed Lucy. “Now, we have a red light, too!” “I thought Mother would fix it somehow,” said Mr. Merrill. Mrs. Merrill came out while the children were still exclaiming. “How did you do it?” Dora asked. “With Dan’s red silk scarf,” said Mrs. Merrill, pulling on her gloves again, and looking back at the pretty light. “Safe against fire, Molly?” asked Mr. Merrill. “We wouldn’t like to go to church and come home to find the house burned.” “It can’t take fire,” said Mrs. Merrill. The minute they entered the vestibule, spicy smells of spruce and evergreen greeted them. The church was warm and all the rafters were draped with festoons of green. The only light was in the chancel and what came from two big Christmas trees on either side of the chancel arch. They were strung with wee red bulbs, and at the top of each tree shone a star. Between the trees stood the manger for the gifts. When the choir came, in place of their usual white cottas, they wore bright red ones. How Christmas-y the church did seem! There were carols and Christmas hymns and then one by one, the classes took up their mite-boxes and placed them in the manger. People had brought other gifts for the poor. All the children looked over their toys and selected something to go to the Children’s Hospital. Lucy chose a doll of which she was not very fond. Dora brought a set of blocks, which she liked very much. She did not often play with them now, but because she had enjoyed them so much herself, she thought children who were not very sick—just beginning to get better—might care for them. The Christmas eve service did not last long, but it left everybody with a pleasant and peaceful feeling. All the red lights were yet burning and almost every house had wreaths in the front windows. The children were pleased as they came near the brown cottage to hear people speak of how pretty the red lamp looked. “You’ll let it burn a long time, won’t you, Mother?” begged Dora. “It may burn until Father and I go to bed,” said Mrs. Merrill. “You children had better be off early, so as to give Santa Claus a chance.” “There is to be a surprise for _you_, to-morrow,” said Dora, and she and Lucy both giggled.