the golden road-第14章

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ily。

〃Oh；　they're　kind　enough；　but　they　never　seem　to　see　that　a　fellow　gets　over　being　five　years　old　if　he　only　lives　long　enough；〃　retorted　Dan。

〃I　know　a　story　about　Cousin　Mattie's　husband；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃His　name　was　Ebenezer；　you　know〃

〃Is　it　any　wonder　he　was　thin　and　stunted　looking？〃　said　Dan。

〃Ebenezer　is　just　as　nice　a　name　as　Daniel；〃　said　Felicity。

〃Do　you　REALLY　think　so；　my　angel？〃　inquired　Dan；　in　honey…sweet　tones。

〃Go　on。　　Remember　your　second　resolution；〃　I　whispered　to　the　Story　Girl；　who　was　stalking　along　with　an　outraged　expression。

The　Story　Girl　swallowed　something　and　went　on。

〃Cousin　Ebenezer　had　a　horror　of　borrowing。　　He　thought　it　was　simply　a　dreadful　disgrace　to　borrow　ANYTHING。　　Well；　you　know　he　and　Cousin　Mattie　used　to　live　in　Carlisle；　where　the　Rays　now　live。　　This　was　when　Grandfather　King　was　alive。　　One　day　Cousin　Ebenezer　came　up　the　hill　and　into　the　kitchen　where　all　the　family　were。　　Uncle　Roger　said　he　looked　as　if　he　had　been　stealing　sheep。　　He　sat　for　a　whole　hour　in　the　kitchen　and　hardly　spoke　a　word；　but　just　looked　miserable。　　At　last　he　got　up　and　said　in　a　desperate　sort　of　way；　'Uncle　Abraham；　can　I　speak　with　you　in　private　for　a　minute？'　'Oh；　certainly；'　said　grandfather；　and　took　him　into　the　parlour。　　Cousin　Ebenezer　shut　the　door；　looked　all　around　him　and　then　said　imploringly；　'MORE　PRIVATE　STILL。'　So　grandfather　took　him　into　the　spare　room　and　shut　that　door。　　He　was　getting　frightened。　　He　thought　something　terrible　must　have　happened　Cousin　Ebenezer。　　Cousin　Ebenezer　came　right　up　to　grandfather；　took　hold　of　the　lapel　of　his　coat；　and　said　in　a　whisper；　'Uncle　Abraham；　CANYOULENDMEANAXE？'〃

〃He　needn't　have　made　such　a　mystery　about　it；〃　said　Cecily；　who　had　missed　the　point　entirely；　and　couldn't　see　why　the　rest　of　us　were　laughing。　　But　Cecily　was　such　a　darling　that　we　did　not　mind　her　lack　of　a　sense　of　humour。

〃It's　kind　of　mean　to　tell　stories　like　that　about　people　who　are　dead；〃　said　Felicity。

〃Sometimes　it's　safer　than　when　they're　alive　though；　sweetheart；〃　commented　Dan。

We　had　our　expected　good　dinner　at　Cousin　Mattie'smay　it　be　counted　unto　her　for　righteousness。　　She　and　her　sisters…in…law；　Miss　Louisa　Jane　and　Miss　Caroline；　were　very　kind　to　us。　　We　had　quite　a　nice　time；　although　I　understood　why　Dan　objected　to　them　when　they　patted　us　all　on　the　head　and　told　us　whom　we　resembled　and　gave　us　peppermint　lozenges。



CHAPTER　VIII

WE　VISIT　PEG　BOWEN


We　left　Cousin　Mattie's　early；　for　it　still　looked　like　a　storm；　though　no　more　so　than　it　had　in　the　morning。　　We　intended　to　go　home　by　a　different　pathone　leading　through　cleared　land　overgrown　with　scrub　maple；　which　had　the　advantage　of　being　farther　away　from　Peg　Bowen's　house。　　We　hoped　to　be　home　before　it　began　to　storm；　but　we　had　hardly　reached　the　hill　above　the　village　when　a　fine；　driving　snow　began　to　fall。　　It　would　have　been　wiser　to　have　turned　back　even　then；　but　we　had　already　come　a　mile　and　we　thought　we　would　have　ample　time　to　reach　home　before　it　became　really　bad。　　We　were　sadly　mistaken；　by　the　time　we　had　gone　another　half…mile　we　were　in　the　thick　of　a　bewildering；　blinding　snowstorm。　　But　it　was　by　now　just　as　far　back　to　Cousin　Mattie's　as　it　was　to　Uncle　Alec's；　so　we　struggled　on；　growing　more　frightened　at　every　step。　　We　could　hardly　face　the　stinging　snow；　and　we　could　not　see　ten　feet　ahead　of　us。　　It　had　turned　bitterly　cold　and　the　tempest　howled　all　around　us　in　white　desolation　under　the　fast…darkening　night。　　The　narrow　path　we　were　trying　to　follow　soon　became　entirely　obliterated　and　we　stumbled　blindly　on；　holding　to　each　other；　and　trying　to　peer　through　the　furious　whirl　that　filled　the　air。　　Our　plight　had　come　upon　us　so　suddenly　that　we　could　not　realize　it。　　Presently　Peter；　who　was　leading　the　van　because　he　was　supposed　to　know　the　path　best；　stopped。

〃I　can't　see　the　road　any　longer；〃　he　shouted。　　〃I　don't　know　where　we　are。〃

We　all　stopped　and　huddled　together　in　a　miserable　group。　　Fear　filled　our　hearts。　　It　seemed　ages　ago　that　we　had　been　snug　and　safe　and　warm　at　Cousin　Mattie's。　　Cecily　began　to　cry　with　cold。　　Dan；　in　spite　of　her　protests；　dragged　off　his　overcoat　and　made　her　put　it　on。

〃We　can't　stay　here；〃　he　said。　　〃We'll　all　freeze　to　death　if　we　do。　　Come　onwe've　got　to　keep　moving。　　The　snow　ain't　so　deep　yet。　　Take　hold　of　my　hand；　Cecily。　　We　must　all　hold　together。　　Come；　now。〃

〃It　won't　be　nice　to　be　frozen　to　death；　but　if　we　get　through　alive　think　what　a　story　we'll　have　to　tell；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　between　her　chattering　teeth。

In　my　heart　I　did　not　believe　we　would　ever　get　through　alive。　　It　was　almost　pitch　dark　now；　and　the　snow　grew　deeper　every　moment。　　We　were　chilled　to　the　heart。　　I　thought　how　nice　it　would　be　to　lie　down　and　rest；　but　I　remembered　hearing　that　that　was　fatal；　and　I　endeavoured　to　stumble　on　with　the　others。　　It　was　wonderful　how　the　girls　kept　up；　even　Cecily。　　It　occurred　to　me　to　be　thankful　that　Sara　Ray　was　not　with　us。

But　we　were　wholly　lost　now。　　All　around　us　was　a　horror　of　great　darkness。　　Suddenly　Felicity　fell。　　We　dragged　her　up；　but　she　declared　she　could　not　go　onshe　was　done　out。

〃Have　you　any　idea　where　we　are？〃　shouted　Dan　to　Peter。

〃No；〃　Peter　shouted　back；　〃the　wind　is　blowing　every　which　way。　　I　haven't　any　idea　where　home　is。〃

Home！　　Would　we　ever　see　it　again？　　We　tried　to　urge　Felicity　on；　but　she　only　repeated　drowsily　that　she　must　lie　down　and　rest。　　Cecily；　too；　was　reeling　against　me。　　The　Story　Girl　still　stood　up　staunchly　and　counselled　struggling　on；　but　she　was　numb　with　cold　and　her　words　were　hardly　distinguishable。　　Some　wild　idea　was　in　my　mind　that　we　must　dig　a　hole　in　the　snow　and　all　creep　into　it。　　I　had　read　somewhere　that　people　had　thus　saved　their　lives　in　snowstorms。　　Suddenly　Felix　gave　a　shout。

〃I　see　a　light；〃　he　cried。

〃Where？　　Where？〃　　We　all　looked　but　could　see　nothing。

〃I　don't　see　it　now　but　I　saw　it　a　moment　ago；〃　shouted　Felix。　　〃I'm　sure　I　did。　　Come　onover　in　this　direction。〃

Inspired　with　fresh　hope　we　hurried　after　him。　　Soon　we　all　saw　the　lightand　never　shone　a　fairer　beacon。　　A　few　more　steps　and；　coming　into　the　shelter　of　the　woodland　on　the　further　side；　we　realized　where　we　were。

〃That's　Peg　Bowen's　house；〃　exclaimed　Peter；　stopping　short　in　dismay。

〃I　don't　care　whose　house　it　is；〃　declared　Dan。　　〃We've　got　to　go　to　it。〃

〃I　s'pose　so；〃　acquiesced　Peter　ruefully。　　〃We　can't　freeze　to　death　even　if　she　is　a　witch。〃

〃For　goodness'　sake　don't　say　anything　about　witches　so　close　to　her　house；〃　gasped　Felicity。　　〃I'll　be　thankful　to　get　in　anywhere。〃

We　reached　the　house；　climbed　the　flight　of　steps　that　led　to　that　mysterious　second　story　door；　and　Dan　rapped。　　The　door　opened　promptly　and　Peg　Bowen　stood　before　us；　in　what　seemed　exactly　the　same　costume　she　had　worn　on　the　memorable　day　when　we　had　come；　bearing　gifts；　to　propitiate　her　in　the　matter　of　Paddy。

〃Behind　her　was　a　dim　room　scantly　illumined　by　the　one　small　candle　that　had　guided　us　through　the　storm；　but　the　old　Waterloo　stove　was　colouring　the　gloom　with　tremulous；　rose…red　whorls　of　light；　and　warm　and　cosy　indeed　seemed　Peg's　retreat　to　us　snow…　covered；　frost…chilled；　benighted　wanderers。

〃Gracious　goodness；　where　did　yez　all　come　from？〃　exclaimed　Peg。　　〃Did　they　turn　yez　out？〃

〃We've　been　over　to　Baywater；　and　we　got　lost　in　the　storm　coming　back；〃　explained　Dan。　　〃We　didn't　know　where　we　were　till　we　saw　your　light。　　I　guess　we'll　have　to　stay　here　till　the　storm　is　overif　you　don't　mind。〃

〃And　if　it　won't　inconvenience　you；〃　said　Cecily　timidly。

〃Oh；　it's　no　inconvenience　to　speak　of。　　Come　in。　　Well；　yez　HAVE　got　some　snow　on　yez。　　Let　me　get　a　broom。　　You　boys　stomp　your　feet　well　and　shake　your　coats。　　You　girls　give　me　your　things　and　I'll　hang　them　up。　　Guess　yez　are　most　froze。　　Well；　sit　up　to　the　stove　and　git　het　up。〃

Peg　bustled　away　to　gather　up　a　dubious　assortment　of　chairs；　with　backs　and　rungs　missing；　and　in　a　few　minutes　we　were　in　a　circle　around　her　roaring　stove；　getting　dried　and　thawed　out。　　In　our　wildest　flights