As with all of her people, Christmas was the great day of the year to her.

Holmes could not but smile, looking at them.

Poor Lois!--Christmas would be here soon, then?
And sitting by the covered fire, he went back to Christmases gone, the thought of all others that brought Margret nearest and warmest to him: since he was a boy they had been together on that day.

With his hand over his eyes, he sat quiet by the fire until morning.

He heard some boy going by in the gray dawn call to another that they would have holiday on Christmas week.