Mr. Sherwood, accompanied by Mr. Plaisted, made a trip to Prince Edward
Island before the winter set in, and though they did not make a very
extensive purchase, they travelled through the country and learned its
resources, visiting many farms where salable horses could be secured in the
spring. They took the horses they purchased direct to New York, where they
were disposed of to good advantage, after which Mr. Sherwood returned to
Halifax and settled down for the winter.
Mr. Plaisted remained in New York, but promised to be in Halifax early in
the spring, and be ready for the first boat that crossed to the Island.
The first winter in Halifax passed very pleasantly to the Sherwoods. The
winter sports were new, and keenly enjoyed, and the "Sherwood twins" soon
became as good skaters as those who had practised the art for years. Yet no
one must imagine that everything ran as smoothly as clockwork in the
Sherwood household, for there are few families who can boast of such
perfect regulations that there is _never_ a jar.
Mrs. Sherwood had been only too willing to throw off all responsibility and
place her duties on Aunt Jennie's shoulders, but there were many things
that must of necessity be left to Mrs. Sherwood herself, and when such
things were put off indefinitely they were apt to prove annoying;
consequently, when "patience ceased to be a virtue," the domestic
atmosphere was sometimes cleared by a small-sized storm.
There are also times when domestic helps are apt to be exasperating in the
extreme, and a word of rebuke or remonstrance is like a match to a can of
gunpowder; the powder is apt to go off, and the girl just as likely, and
both leave an unpleasantness behind them. Queer, too, that both are apt to
go off at the most unexpected and inconvenient moment; but so it is.
The Sherwood family were not exempt from this experience, for Biddy raised
a storm because Dinah seemed to be made more of than she was herself. No
explanations or smooth words would bridge over the difficulty. She refused
to stay in a house where "a big nager could stay in the room wid the missus
and hould the baby as long as she plased;" so she left the house, and quite
suddenly, too.
This disarranged household matters somewhat for awhile, as it was some time
before a capable servant could be found, and Mrs. Sherwood was obliged to
exert herself a little and attend to the wants of the baby, while Dinah
filled the vacant place in the kitchen.
But rheumatism had laid its torturing clutches on poor old Dinah's limbs,
and she could not be expected to get through the same amount of work that
Biddy accomplished, so the help of the twins was frequently necessary to
keep agoing the domestic machinery.
This was no hardship to Dexie; but Gussie, oh dear! it was just horrible to
have to wash up the breakfast dishes, and to polish the silver. And the
rooms _never_ needed to be dusted so often before, that she was sure! and
wherever the dusters went to after she was done with them was a daily
mystery. Dexie offered to solve this trying enigma, but Gussie's wrath
waxed hot when she read the words which Dexie printed in large letters on a
piece of wrapping-paper and stuck on the wall, for the moral was obvious--
"_There is a place for everything_; THEREFORE, _put the dusters
back in their own place when you are done with them, and you will be sure
to find them again._
"(NO CHARGE FOR THIS ADVICE.)"
But things moved along somehow, as they always do, yet everyone was glad
when the new Biddy appeared, who answered to the name of Nancy, and the
ways of the household fell back into former grooves; while the sigh of
relief which Gussie gave as she took up her neglected fancywork again,
might have been heard--well, quite a distance away.
As the weeks went by, the enforced idleness became irksome to Mr. Sherwood;
and having at one time been on the staff of a leading newspaper, he took up
his pen again--or rather Dexie did, as his amanuensis--while he brought
forth from memories' halls, things interesting, amusing or instructive. He
had travelled extensively, and always saw the ludicrous side of things, so
he was able to tell many amusing incidents that to others might have passed
as commonplace. His productions were eagerly accepted, and, what is better,
liberally paid for as well.
The short winter days passed very quickly. Time pleasantly spent is sure to
fly fast, and skating and sleighing parties are always merry gatherings;
thus so many evenings were given to Glee Club practice, church socials and
other like entertainments, that an evening at home was a delightful change.
During the winter the Sherwoods had the opportunity of becoming well
acquainted with many of the military fraternity, but Dexie's reserved
manner forbade the least familiarity. They were merely friends of her
friends, and her dislike to the red-coated gentlemen caused her much
good-natured chaffing; but it never annoyed her, for she always had an
answer ready for the keenest shaft. Lancy Gurney could always depend on
having Dexie Sherwood's company when these little pleasure-parties were
made up; and when he brought his sleigh out for a "spin" Elsie and Dexie
were sure to occupy the back seat, and the vacant place by Lancy's side was
never long empty, for the wit and vivacity of his companion made the seat
very desirable.
Hugh McNeil always had a share in the pleasures of the rest of the family,
and no matter how many offered to fill his sleigh he always kept a seat for
Gussie Sherwood, for he had paid her much attention from the first. Gussie
found it very pleasant to have someone to take her here and there, and feed
her vanity with admiring looks and soft speeches; but if Gussie had a
chance to secure another escort more to her mind, she thought nothing of
snubbing Hugh unmercifully, yet was willing enough to smile him back to her
side when no other gentleman offered his company. But few men care to be
made the plaything of a young girl's caprice, and there came a time when
Gussie's smile lost its power to charm. Her pretty face had been the
attraction; but having ample opportunity of seeing Gussie under the
different light of home-life, he could not help seeing the shallow nature
that lay behind her outward sweetness, or that this sweetness was more
ready to come to the front when self was to be gratified.
But Hugh's heart had been touched for the first time, and when his eyes
were opened he was loth to displace his idol, even though he knew that
common clay was its substance. For a long time he gave no sign of the
change that had taken place in his feelings; he was to all appearances as
devoted to Gussie as ever.
One day, along the first of March, Lancy Gurney walked hastily home from
the store, and entering the Sherwood household, inquired for Dexie.
"What is it, Lancy?" said Dexie, peeping over the stair rail at Lancy in
the hall below.
"Come down, Dexie; I want to speak to you. Can you come for a drive with
me?" he asked, as Dexie reached his side. "Father wishes me to do a little
business for him a few miles out of town, and I want company. Will you
come?"
"Yes, if you will take Elsie as well," was the reply. "How soon are you
going, Lancy?"
"In about half an hour, if we can get ready; but I don't want to take
Elsie. We will take the single sleigh, and three in a seat will not be
comfortable."
"It will be three in a seat or one, Sir Launcelot; so take your choice. Run
in and see if Elsie can go, then I will get ready also. No use coaxing;
your half an hour is rapidly passing," she added, smilingly, as Lancy
lingered, endeavoring to change her decision.
But "three in a seat" was not so uncomfortable as Lancy had imagined, and
they were soon speeding over the road, and in due time reached their
destination.
They were detained much longer than they expected, and so were late
starting for home, and the snow which had been falling in fine, light
particles, soon increased in volume, and it was quite apparent that a
severe storm was upon them.
When they reached the open road, they found they were to suffer for the
delay, for the sharp wind cut their faces and almost blinded them with the
drifting snow.
All landmarks were soon obliterated, and, though the way was familiar under
different circumstances, Lancy found it hard to distinguish the road from
the open field, as the snow fell so thick they could see only a short
distance beyond the horse's head.
The girls were soon so benumbed with cold that they were glad to creep
beneath the sleigh robes, and the roads were becoming so blocked with
drifts that their progress was very slow indeed. Several times they stuck
fast, and Lancy had to get out and tramp down the snow, while, with
encouraging words, he urged the horse along; but in one of these heavy
drifts, snap! went the shaft.
This was a misfortune indeed, for a thorough search in pockets and
sleigh-box failed to produce a string or strap of any kind.
Elsie had been on the verge of crying for some time, and this new disaster
brought the tears in earnest.
"We shall all freeze to death here!" she sobbed. "Whatever shall we do?"
"You can stop crying, Elsie," said Lancy, who felt bewildered by this new
difficulty. "I am bothered enough already. I suppose it is no use to ask
you girls if you have any kind of string in your pockets," he added.
"No, of course we haven't," replied Elsie, quite cross. "Girls don't fill
their pockets with trash!"
"Here is my belt, Lancy," and Dexie held up a strap of Russian leather. "Do
you think you can bind up the shaft with that?"
After some delay, the shaft was strapped together, and they slowly pressed
onward.
"How far do you think we are from Halifax, Lancy?" Dexie asked, after they
had travelled some distance through the drifts.
"I can hardly say, Dexie, we have come so slowly; but I fear we are not
more than halfway."
This was indeed the truth, and the storm seemed increasing in violence; but
if a thought of danger passed through their minds, no voice was given to
it.
Presently they passed a farmhouse, and they almost decided to stop and ask
shelter; but just here the road seemed better, so they pressed on, knowing
that their absence would make those at home very anxious. For some distance
the road was less drifted, owing to the shelter of a line of trees that
skirted it, but farther on they came to drifts that were high and hard
packed, through which the horse gave a plunge, breaking the other shaft,
and this brought matters to a crisis.
"It is no use, girls; we can't get home to-night. It is a pity we did not
stop at that farmhouse," said Lancy, as he ascertained damages. "We will
have to get back somehow, I'm afraid."
But how to get back was a question. They had passed the farmhouse such a
long time ago that it seemed as if it must be miles behind. Lancy was
almost in despair as he felt the broken shaft. How could they reach the
farmhouse in this disabled condition? Although suffering intensely from
the cold, he thought little of it, but he began to have serious misgivings
as to the safety of the girls.
"I am so sorry I asked either of you to come with me," he said, as he bent
his head to speak to the shivering girls. "I shall have to cut the reins
and tie up the shaft with them, but I fear it will be slow work retracing
our way."
"Oh, Lancy, you can't cut the reins! How are you going to drive if you do
that?" said Dexie, in alarm.
"I can walk and lead the horse. There is nothing else to do."
"Wait, Lancy! Here is my silk scarf; it is real long and strong," and Dexie
forced her cold fingers to untie from under her wraps, the pretty scarf
that encircled her neck, which Lancy found to answer his purpose very well.
The sleigh had become so imbedded in the drift, that Lancy was afraid the
shafts would pull apart if the horse put forth sufficient strength to
extract it, so he decided to take the horse out and turn the sleigh
himself. But when the horse found himself free, he refused to stand still,
and Dexie insisted on getting out to hold him. Leading the horse around the
drift to regain the road, Lancy found there was a level stretch extending
in the same direction, and he concluded to follow it and thus regain the
farmhouse. He assisted Dexie through the drifts, and as she held the reins
he endeavored to turn the sleigh. But he had not quite accomplished his
task when a cry from Dexie came through the storm:
"Oh, Lancy! come quick! I cannot hold him, and I hear water running
somewhere! Oh, the horse is in!"