Summary

On Christmas Eve, Furlong makes a series of deliveries in the countryside. He leaves logs at the homes of several families who cannot afford them. On his way back to the coal yard, he reminds himself that “people could be good” (95). His employees are in high spirits, and they share a meal at Kehoe’s. The owner, Mrs. Kehoe, asks Furlong if he has had a “run-in” (98) at the convent. She quietly warns him that the convent is a powerful force in town; Furlong responds that “surely they’ve only as much power as we give them” (99). Mrs. Kehoe reminds him that his daughters’ attendance at St. Margaret’s is essential to their success and that Furlong should not jeopardize their standing at the school.

After the meal, Furlong walks in the snow by the quayside. He enters a toy store and unsuccessfully looks...