"Who is your father T" the man asked.
The little girl was about to tell him, when v
she noticed a look of interest on the stran-
ger's face, so she said,

"Did you say that you had lost your way
in the forest! Do you live far from here?"

"Yes, very far. I am lost, and am nearly
perishing from hunger and cold. How far is
it to the next villageT"

"They told me it was some miles on," said
the child. "But I will take you back to the
woodsman's cottage where I spent the night.
The woman is a kind-hearted person, and I
am sure she will j^ve you shelter."

"That is kind of yon, little one," said the



byGoDgle



296 STORY-TEIilNG IN SCHOOL AND HOME

stranger, "but you ■will be hindering your
own jonmey if you do that."

"I know that my father would want me to
show a kindness, even though it did put me
back some," Paulina said.
"You must have a good father, to give yon
such training. Why did the Emperor send
•him into exile t" the stranger asked her.
"0, my father had enemies who lied to the
Emperor — and there was no chance given to
my father to explain. So the Emperor sent
him away to Siberia, — and I am trying to
find my way there to him. ' '

While they walked through the forest, the
stranger told Paulina about his own little
daughter who was expecting him to spend
Christmas with her. At last they reached
the woodsman's hut. The woman greeted
them kindly, and while Paulina went into an-
other room to help her prepare the evening
meal, the stranger was left warming himself
by the fire, and rocking the cradle.
