It stopped at the door. The bear
was forgotten, as all the elders in this free-and-easy
family rushed out of the parlor into the hall.
Papa was there, and was as happy as they. With papa,
or just behind him, came in the man with the rough coat,
whose face at church had been so dirty, whose face now
was clean. To think that papa should have brought the
Deputy-Marshal with him! For by the name of "the Deputy-
Marshal" had this mysterious stranger been spoken of in
private by the two young men since the fatal theory had
been advanced that he had come into the church to arrest
Mr. Molyneux.
The unknown, with great tact, managed to keep in the
background, while Mrs. Molyneux kissed her husband, and
while Matty kissed him, and while among them they pulled
off his coat. But Mr. Molyneux did not forget. He made
a chance in a moment for saying, "You must speak to our
friend who has brought me here; no one was ever so
welcome at a Christmas dinner. Mr. Kuypers, my dear, Mr.
Kuypers, Matty dear; these are my boys, Mr. Kuypers."
Then the ladies welcomed the stranger, and the boys
shook hands with him. Mr. Molyneux added, what hardly
any one understood: "It is not every friend that travels
two thousand miles to jog a friend's memory."
And they all huddled into the parlor. But in a
moment more, Mrs. Molyneux had invited Mr.
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