elderly woman, with a Christmassy look about her, which was absolutely warming, stood in the broad portal.
We stopped on the piazza before entering, stamping and shaking ourselves, for we were two figures of snow.
"Our valises are in the back of the sleigh," I said, and to my surprise my teeth chattered a little as I spoke. "I think the horse will stand until someone takes him."
We then went in. Suddenly Miss Welden stopped, and looked from right to left, and turning to the good woman, she exclaimed:
"This is not Mr. Dolliver's house?"
"Of course not," said the other, "did you think it was? Major Pendallas lives here."
Miss Welden and I looked at each other in dismay.
"We have made a mistake," I said. "How much further on is it to the Dolliver place?"
"It isn't farther on at all," the woman replied, "it is not on this road at all."
"It is too bad," I said, "they told us at Boynton it was a straight road, and we could not miss it."
"So it is, but three miles below here there is a fork that anybody might mistake, especially at night, with the roads unbroken. But come in and get warm, you must be half frozen. I'll have a man throw a blanket over the horse;" and with this she showed us into a large room with a wood-fire blazing on the hearth. She pushed two chairs before the fire.
"Sit down," she said, "and get a little warm. If I am not mistaken this is Miss Clara Welden. Yes, I thought so. It's been a long time since I have seen you. I am Mrs. Bardsley. I keep house for Major Pendallas. Excuse me for a moment."
“"What a grand thing this fire is," said I, "and who is Major Pendallas?"
"I never saw him in my life," said Miss Welden, following my example, and drawing up closer to the fire, "but I have often heard of him. He used to be in the army, I think, and now he has a stock farm, and has all sorts of fine horses and cows. I wonder if he would be willing to send over to my uncle's? I can't bear to think of starting out again in that sleigh, and with that horse."
I was glad she did not include the driver in her objections, and said I hoped that the Major would be able to do something for us. But at the time I did not give much thought to the subject, for my whole soul was occupied in revelling in the genial heat. I had had no idea that I was so cold.
"He greeted Miss Welden."
In about five minutes the door opened, and a tall, broad-shouldered man, wearing a heavy pea-jacket, and an unmistakable air of being the master of the house, entered the room. He was middle-aged, had side whiskers, and bright blue eyes. We both rose, and with outstretched hand he greeted Miss Welden.
"Delighted to see you," he said, in a hearty tone. "Mrs. Bardsley tells me you have lost your way, but that doesn’t matter, I'll make that all right."
Then he turned towards me, and Miss Welden introduced me.
"Ashmead?" he repeated, as he grasped me by the hand.
"Yes," I replied, "Henry G. Ashmead."
As I spoke he gave me a quick look, and
