Chapter I · The Story of the Little Red Sleigh II. The Crystal City and the Traveller III. The Clock Tinker IV. The Uphill Road V. At the Sign o' the Dial VI. A Certain Rich Man VII. Darrel of the Blessed Isles VIII. Dust of Diamonds in the Hour-glass IX. Drove and Drovers X. An Odd Meeting XI. The Old Rag Doll XII. The Santa Claus of Cedar Hill XIII. A Christmas Adventure XIV. A Day at the Linley Schoolhouse XV. The Tinker at Linley School XVI. A Rustic Museum XVII. An Event in the Rustic Museum XVIII. A Day of Difficulties XIX. Amusement and Learning XX. At the Theatre of the Woods XXI. Robin's Inn XXII. Comedies of Field and Dooryard XXIII. A New Problem XXIV. Beginning the Book of Trouble XXV. The Spider Snares XXVI. The Coming of the Cars XXVII. The Rare and Costly Cup XXVIII. Darrel at Robin's Inn XXIX. Again the Uphill Road XXX. Evidence XXXI. A Man Greater than his Trouble XXXII. The Return of Thurst Tilly XXXIII. The White Guard XXXIV. More Evidence XXXV. At the Sign of the Golden Spool XXXVI. The Law's Approval XXXVII. The Return of Santa Claus

DARREL OF THE BLESSED ISLES

Prelude

Yonder up in the hills are men and women, white-haired, who love to tell of that time when the woods came to the door-step and God's cattle fed on the growing corn. Where, long ago, they sowed their youth and strength, they see their sons reaping, but now, bent with age, they have ceased to gather save in the far fields of memory. Every day they go down the long, well-trodden path and come back with hearts full. They are as children plucking the meadows of June. Sit with them awhile, and they will gather for you the unfading flowers of joy and love—good sir! the world is full of them. And should they mention Trove or a certain clock tinker that travelled from door to door in the olden time, send your horse to the stable and God-speed them!—it is a long tale, and you may listen far into the night.

"See the big pines there in the dale yonder?" some one will ask. "Well, Theron Allen lived there, an' across the pond, that's where the moss trail came out and where you see the cow-path—that's near the track of the little red sleigh."

Then—the tale and its odd procession coming out of the far past.