of the pines on the hill above at that moment came more distinctly to the ears of the group around the stove, and seemed to fill the whole room with wailing:
"The storm comes nearer, and there will be rain. I must leave you now; but if it seems expedient to accept the post which you have offered me, I will let you know before many days. It hardly seems to me that I am a proper person to be set over a gang of Canadians; many of them are strongly prejudiced against our race."
"Is that so?" asked the contractor. "Still, I think that you would find no difficulty in the place which I have in view, nor do I believe that they would suspect your nationality. But it seems to me that you are wrong in fancying that a rain storm is at hand; the air was very cold when I came in to-night. I really hope that our fine sledding is not going to be broken up at present."
"I think that there is a thaw at hand," was
