Episode 2

As soon as she saw it, she knew that Jim must have it. It was like him. Quietness and value.

Jim and the chain both had quietness and value. She paid twenty-one dollars for it. And she hurried home with the chain and eighty-seven cents.

With that chain on his watch, Jim could look at his watch and learn the time anywhere he might be.

Though the watch was so fine, it never had a fine chain. he sometimes took it out and looked at it only when no one could see him do it.

When Della arrived home, her mind quietened a little. She began to think more reasonably. She started to try to cover the sad marks of what she had done. Love and large hearted giving, when added together, can leave deep marks.

It is never easy to cover these marks, dear friends ---never easy.

Within forty minutes her head looked a little better. With her short hair, she looked wonderfully like a schoolboy.

She stood at the looking-glass for a long time

"If Jim doesn't like me," she said to herself,

" before he lookd at me a second time, he'll say I look like a girl who works for money. But what could I do ---

Oh! What could I do with a dollar and eighty-seven cents?"

At seven, Jim's dinner was ready for him

Jim was never late. Della held the watch chain in her hand and sat near the door where he always entered.Then she heard his steps in the hall and her face lost colour for a moment.

She often said little prayers quietly, about simple everyday things. And now she said:

" Please God, make him think I'm still pretty."

The door opened and Jim stepped in. He looked very thin and he was not smiling. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two

and with a family to take care of!

He needed a new coat and he had nothing to cover his cold hands.

Jim stopped inside th door. He was as quiet as a hunting dog when it is near a bird. His eyes looked strangely at Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not understand.

It filled her with fear. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor anything else she had been ready for. He simply looked at her with the strange expression on his face.

Della went to him.

" Jim,dear," she cried,

"don't look at me like that. I had my hair cut off and sold it. I couldn't live through Christmas without giving you a gift. My hair will grow again. You won't care, will you?

My hair grows very fast. It's Christmas, Jim. Let's be happy. You don't know what a nice----

What a beautiful, nice gift I got for you."

"you've cut off your hair?" asked Jim slowly

He seemed to labour to understand what had happened.....

to be continued........

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***