The maid who opened the door that afternoon to the weary, happy, home-coming party of Christmas shoppers said, “Please, Miss Drayton, there’s a lady and two little boys in the back parlor to see Miss Anne.  They’ve been waiting an hour.  The biggest boy’s dreadful impatient and he stamped and screamed awful because I couldn’t go and bring her home.”

“Why, it must be ’Lop,” exclaimed Anne.

Dunlop it was, with his mother and Arthur.

“He would come,” said Mrs. Marshall.  “He clamored to start as soon as we read the letter this morning.  I feared he’d worry himself sick.  He’s so nervous and high-strung,” she explained to Miss Drayton.

“Papa promised me a little automobile if I’d stay at home,” said Dunlop, hanging to Anne’s hand.  “I told him I’d rather see Anne.”

“Oh!” Anne kissed him.

“’Spect I’ll get the automobile anyway,” reflected Dunlop.  “And, Anne, I know now ’bout Santa Claus,” with a cautious glance at Arthur who was cuddled in her arms.

Mrs. Marshall produced a packet which Miss Farlow had asked her to deliver,—­Anne’s gold beads and coral pins, and the rings, locket, and purse given by her uncle.  Miss Drayton looked thoughtfully at the jewels.

“These were your mother’s, you know, Anne,” she said.  “You must keep and prize them always, dear.  And I have a story to tell you some day, little Anne—­some far-off, ’most-grown-up day.”

The next morning was Christmas.  When Anne awakened, she found around her wrist a red ribbon on which was a card bearing these words: 

“Follow, follow where I wind,
Christmas tokens you will find.”

After many wanderings about the chairs and tables, the ribbon led to the top shelf of the closet, where there was a box of games, “With love from brother Pat.”  Then it conducted Anne back to the bed and when she stooped to unwind it from the bed-post she touched a soft, furry thing and gave a squeal, thinking it was a live creature; she gave another squeal of delight when she found that it was a muff and a little fur coat from Mr. Patterson.  From the bed, the ribbon guided Anne to the window-seat, and there “from Aunt Sarah” was a book-shelf with Little Lord Fauntleroy first in a row of beautiful books.  Anne clapped her hands and danced and ran to hug and kiss Miss Drayton who was standing in the doorway, enjoying the gift-hunt.  The red ribbon led to other nooks and corners where there were various other presents, including a silver toilet-set from Mrs. Marshall, a box of candy from Dunlop, a cup and saucer from Arthur, and a pair of pink and red slippers knit by Mollie, the cook at the Home.

Downstairs, Anne found a box which had been left at the door by Peggy and John Edward and Elmore and Susie.  It contained a gorgeous big doll and a slip of paper on which was written:  “For Miss Anne, with all our loves from her respectful friends, Mr. and Mrs. Callahan, Peggy, John Edward, Elmore, Susie, Lois, Bud, and Baby.”