Maud looked at him. Her pretty mouth quivered a little; some tears
twinkled in her blue eyes.
"I don't believe my mother would let me," faltered she. "You--come with
me, and I'll ask her."
"All right," said Earl, with a tug at his sled-rope.
He waited with his load in front of Maud's house until she came forth
radiant, lugging a big basket. She had her last winter's red cashmere
dress, a hood, some mittens, cake and biscuit, and nice slices of cold
meat.
"Mother said these would be much more _suitable_ for her," said Maud,
with a funny little imitation of her mother's manner.
Over across the street another girl stood at the gate, waiting for news.
"Have they found her?" she cried. "Where are you going with all those
things?"
Somehow, Earl's generous, romantic impulse spread like an epidemic. This
little girl soon came flying out with her contribution; then there were
more--quite a little procession filed finally down the road to Jenny
Brown's house.
The terrible possibilities of the case never occurred to them. The idea
never entered their heads that little, innocent, trustful Jenny might
never come home to see that Christmas-tree which they set up in her poor
home.
It was with no surprise whatever that they saw, about noon, Mr. Munroe's
sleigh, containing Jenny and her mother and Mrs. Munroe, drive up to the
door.
Afterwards they heard how a wood-cutter had found Jenny crying, over on
the east side of the mountain, at sunset, and had taken her home with
him. He lived five miles from the village, and was an old man, not able
to walk so far that night to tell them of her safety. His wife had been
very good to the child. About eleven o'clock some of the searchers had
met the old man plodding along the mountain-road with the news.
They did not stop for this now. They shouted to Jenny to "come in,
quick!" They pulled her with soft violence into the room where they had
been at work. Then the child stood with her hands clasped, staring at
the Christmas-tree. All too far away had she been searching for it. The
Christmas-tree grew not on the wild mountainside, in the lonely woods,
but at home, close to warm, loving hearts; and that was where she found
it.