Snow-Bound at Eagle's

re alien marks of dusty feet on the scrupulously clean passage, and on the first step of the stairs a spot of blood. With a sudden genuine alarm that drov

nto the sitting-room, closed the door, and leaned back against

rst," she said, handing her sister

t. I've lost nothing but a day's time, as this business will keep me here until to-morrow, when Manuel can join me with

id Kate ex

here as the nearest place. He's up-stairs in the spare bed in the spare room, with his friend, who won't leave his side. He won't even have mother in the room. They've stopped the bleedin

pink flush on her pale cheeks, and her eyes were gently

anuel for a doctor a

where to be found. Perhaps he's gone to look after the stoc

ho are

,' as if it were a profession. The wo

continued Kate. "I suppo

hrugged her

y, is laughing. The other is a creature with

ing to do with t

e, I really believe you are so prejudiced against these people you'd like to turn them out. But I forget! It's because you LIKE them so well. Well, you need not fear to expose

paused before the door, moved away, returned, and fi

it," said Mrs. Hale,

om it. For all that, he was a good-looking enough fellow, with a moustache as long and almost as flexible as a ring

didn't know that you-the young ladies-company-were here. I intended-I only wanted to say that my friend-" He stop

n her usual languid gentleness. "My mother is not here

on of Kate's presence, that embarrassed and curt a

little stronger, and if you can lend me an extra

e, with a languid look of alarm, in which Kate, however, detected a ce

y. He stopped, and as quickly corrected himself. "That

at her sister was apparently unconscious of it. "Yo

ed through the window to the cloud Kate had noticed; "if it comes down lower in the pass th

able here rather than expose him to that uncertainty in his weak condition. We will do our best for him. My sister is dying for an opportunity to s

rried glance around the room, said, "It's impossible; we must go. In fact, I've already taken the liberty to order the horses round. They are at the door now. You may be certain," he added, with quick earnestness, suddenly lifting his dark eyes to

in a dark serape. His beardless face gave him a quaint boyishness quite inconsistent with the mature lines of his temples and forehead. Pale, and in pain, as he evidently was, his blue eyes twink

rs, wanted to tote me round the house in his arms like a baby to say ta-ta to you all. Excuse my not rising, but I feel as uncertain below as a mermaid, and as o

on of lively sympathy, and with the authority of her years and an almost maternal anxiety endeavored to dissuade the invalid from going. "This is not my house," she said, looking at her daught

ght have to put him up in common humanity; but here was her austere mother, who wouldn't come in the room when Whisky Dick called on business, actually pressing b

tly, and, with his smile quite vanished, endeavored to rise to his feet. "It

be found anywhere. Manuel must have taken him this morning to look u

a sitting position. "Is Manue

es

n exchange

eft cheek and dr

te, finding he

"That kind of man isn't safe to wait for. We

es

o rise. He fell back, but this ti

he three women rushed to his side.

e better i

Will nothing induce yo

t of wind brought a volley

said the stra

e r

re we could reach the Summit with thes

s slowly reviving under the active ministration of the two women. The wounded man looked around with a weak sm

, decidedly. "Before we get to the Gate t

horses?"

o get him easier." It was the longest speech he had made to her; it was the first time he had fairly looked her in the face. His shy restlessness had suddenly given way to dogged resignation, less abstracted, but scarcely more flattering to his entertainers. Lifting his companion gently in his arms, as if he had been a child, he reascended the staircase, Mrs. Scott and the hastily-s

HO are

There is YOUR BR

ting of relationship and responsibility to the feminine mind

ou don't even k

d not excuse himself because the thieves had taken the poor man's card-case? Do the directions, 'In case of accident,' in your ambulance rules, read,

an," said Kate, irrelev

o talked to you more than he did to any one else. I suppose

John wer

esence of mother to prevent any scandal-although really her own conduct with the wounded one is not above suspicion," she added, with that novel mischievousness that seemed a

n's

s, for 'Ned,' the friend, must attend to him at night. And, Kate, don't you think, if you'r

ignantly, "as I am no

ar doctor. But he is very restless, and wanders all

ho

t. I suppose they've got him safe in his bed again,

refuge of the troubled mind-and gazed out. Turning her eyes in the direction of her morning's walk, she started back with a sense of being dazzled. She rubbed first her eyes and then the rain-dimmed pane. It was no illusion! The whole landscape, so familiar to her, was one vast field of dead, colorless white! Trees, rocks, even di

ith feverish excitement, she at last came in sight of the arching granite portals of their domain. But her first glance through the gateway showed it closed as if with a white portcullis. Kate remembered that the trail began to ascend beyond the arch, and knew that what she saw was only the mountain side she had partly climbed this morning. But the snow had already crept down its flank, and the exit by trail was practically closed. Breathlessly making her way back to the highest part of the plat

ch hat beaten back by the wind exposed the dark, glistening curls on his white forehead. He was certainly very handsome and picturesque, and that apparently without effort or consciousness. Neither was there anything in his costume or appearance inconsistent with

the inevitableness of the situation had relieved him of his previous shyness and effort; "it's even worse than I expected. The snow mus

ou know what

underst

only trail by which one can pass in and out of that gateway. I am not alarming you, I hope, for there is no real physical danger; a place like this ought to be well garrisoned, and certainly i

id Kate, growing pa

d is probably as assured as I

possible! You don't know my brother!

ger gravely, "for what is possi

to get away," Kate c

er

entment. Before she could say anything he added, "And I hope you will remember, whatever may happen, that I did

e better soon." She was silent, and then, quickening her pace

t I can carry a gun, and the woods are full of game driven down from the mountains. Let me show you something you may not have noticed." He stopped, and pointed to a small knoll of sheltered shrubbery and granite on the opposite mountain, which still remained

d party," said

ions. They are too frighten

later on," said Kate, steali

es and met her eyes. "N