"I was ashamed to tell you this morning, sir," he said steadily, "but I--I'm no longer on the staff of St. Michael's. My hand was shaking and--and the chief knew why. And, dad," he faced the old Doctor squarely, "I'm coming back home to keep your practise out of Price's fool hands. You've always wanted that and my chief has preached it too, though I couldn't see it somehow until to-day. And presently, sir, when--when my hand is steadier, I'm going to make the little chap walk and run. I've--promised Sister Madge." And the old Doctor cleared his throat and gulped--and finally he wiped his glasses and walked away to the window. For of all things God could give him--this surely was the best! "Oh, grandpop," cried little John Leslie 3rd, bolting into the study in great excitement--"Come see Roger! We kids have made him the Christmas king and he's got a crown o' holly on and--and a wand and he's a-tappin' us this way with it to make us Knights. And I'm the Fir-tree Knight--and Bob--he's a Cedar Knight and Ned's a spruce and Roger--he says his pretty sister tells him stories like that smarter'n any in the books. Oh--do hurry!" The old Doctor held out his hand to his son. "Well, Doctor Ralph," he said huskily, "suppose we go tell mother." So while the Doctor told Aunt Ellen, Ralph bent his knee to this excited Christmas King enthroned in the heart of the fire-shadows. "Rise--" said Roger radiantly, tapping him with a cedar wand, "I--I dub thee first of all my knights--the good, kind Christmas Knight!" "And here," said Ralph, smiling, "here's Sister Madge. What grand title now shall we give to her?" But as Sister Madge knelt before him with firelit shadows dancing in her sweet, dark eyes, Roger dropped the wand and buried his face on her shoulder with a little sob. "Nothing good enough for Sister Madge, eh?" broke in the old Doctor, looking up. "Well, sir, I think you're right." Now in the silence Aunt Ellen spoke and her words were like a gentle Christmas benediction. "'Unto us,'" said Aunt Ellen Leslie as she turned the Christmas log, "'this night a son is given!'" But Ralph, by the window, had not heard. For wakening again in his heart as he stared at the peaceful, moonlit, "God-made" hills--was the old forgotten boyish love for this rugged, simple life of his father's dwarfing the lure of the city and the mockery of his fashionable friends. And down the lane of years ahead, bright with homely happiness and service to the needs of others--was the dark and winsome face of Sister Madge, stirring him to ardent resolution. Part Two In Which We Light the New Log with the Embers of the Old I The Fire Again "Doctor!" said little Roger slyly, "you got your chin stuck out!" The Doctor stroked his grizzled beard in hasty apology.