HARRY EGERTON.

Let them come! let them come! There! there! there!

HARVEY ANDERSON.

Partner!

HARRY EGERTON.

(_Laughing_)

Isn't it wonderful!

MRS. EGERTON.

It's mother, Harry!

HARRY EGERTON.

And here's a little doll and here's a sled!

I brought them down over the chimney tops!

(_Laughs. A little boy remains after the other children have gone back to their parents_)

HARRY EGERTON.

A little horn?

HARVEY ANDERSON.

Partner!

HARRY EGERTON.

What golden hair!

(_The little boy returns to the others_)

HARRY EGERTON.

(_Advancing and shaking hands with the men and women, who file by him and pa.s.s out rear_)

Next year, my friends, if everything goes well, We'll have some homes to hang up on the tree With big yards where the little ones can play.

But this is children's day.

(_Last in the line comes a figure in the garb of a workman, but with the tender, bearded face of the Christ_)

HARRY EGERTON.

(_Looking at his brow_)

Have you been hurt?

(_The figure holds out both hands to him_)

HARRY EGERTON.

(_At first wildly, but with growing calmness_)

Harvey! Buck! Mother!

(_The figure looks back one moment, then vanishes. Harry Egerton is seen falling into the arms of Harvey Anderson, who carries him into the bedroom. His mother and the Nurse follow. Sam Williams and Chris Knudson stand staring across at the door_)

SAM WILLIAMS.

Our leader's gone, Chris.

CHRIS KNUDSON.

Yes, I fear so.

HARVEY ANDERSON.

(_Coming in and closing the bedroom door after him_)

Partner's gone.

A GUARD.

(_Pushing open the outside door_)

Egerton's come.

(_Donald Egerton enters, followed by the Doctor and two strange men, apparently surgeons, one of them carrying an instrument case.

Egerton glances about and instinctively locates the bedroom, and at once goes toward it_)

HARVEY ANDERSON.

(_To the Doctor_)

Too late.

DOCTOR.

Dead!

HARVEY ANDERSON.

Just this moment.