"No," says he, reaching out his hand with a smile. "A Merry Christmas, Dick!"
But seeing my look, and how I shrank from his proffered hand, his face grew solemn all in a moment.
"Good God, man!" I cried, "cannot you understand!" and with the words, I held up the miniature before his eyes. "From to-day she is in our care alone--her mother died twenty years ago--and to-day--poor Jack--oh, damn your Merry Christmas!--are you so utterly heartless and without feeling, or only a blind fool?"
And with this I turned my back fairly upon him and hurried from the room.