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The Imp's Christmas Dinner

unexpected pleasure she grinned familiarly at him.

"Hello!" she said.

"Hello!" returned the Imp. She shook her pigtails back and began a question, when he saw her eyes grow big with apprehension.

"Come on! Come on!" she gasped, and seizing his hand she ducked under the outstretched, bundle-filled arms of an old lady and pulled the Imp after her, only giving him time to see approaching her, with anger in his eye, the same tall straight gentleman who had scolded her before. Whether they were followed or not the Imp did not know, for they ran so quickly and turned and dodged so successfully that in a few moments they were in an entirely new part of the big store, full of Japanese goods. The Imp was all eyes for the red and blue and purple and yellow that covered banners and parasols and fans. A quaint, sweet odor came from everything, and fewer people crowded the narrow little lanes.

"Who is he?" gasped the Imp, terribly confused and out of breath.

"Floor'ker," responded his companion briefly. "Nasty thing!"

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