Lancy had a hard struggle to break through the drifts, and began to fear he
would sink down with exhaustion before he had secured help, but he reached
the farmhouse at last, having walked back much faster than the horse had
travelled in going the same distance.
A few words of explanation were enough to arouse the family, and even while
Lancy spoke, the two men in the room began to pull on their boots and get
into their outer garments in a way that showed that they "meant business."
Mr. Taylor and his big son would gladly have gone alone to rescue the
girls, thinking Lancy was not in a fit state to return, but the possible
fate of those dear to him filled Lancy with dread; he must return and see
to their safety. He eagerly drank the hot mixture that Mrs. Taylor placed
in his hand, and when the men declared themselves ready, he felt able to
accompany them.
"This is a terrible night to be out-of-doors," said Mr. Taylor, as he
pulled his coat collar around his ears. "This is the worst storm we have
had for years, and it will be a mercy if your sisters are not badly
frost-bitten, before we can get them to the house. Push on after Tom, and I
will be with you in a minute," and he turned toward the stables.
Lancy found it easier to retrace his steps than when he struggled alone
through the blinding snow, and presently Mr. Taylor passed them on the back
of a horse, carrying a coil of rope and a bundle of rugs, and he was the
first to reach the snow-covered sleigh.
"Are you all right?" he called in a cheery voice.
"We are alive, and that's about all," Dexie answered.
"Well, cheer up; your brother is just behind," and as he spoke Lancy joined
him.
"Now, young man," said Mr. Taylor, "Tom and I will see after your horse,
while you pilot your sisters to the house. They can both ride back on my
horse; he will carry them through the drifts better than they can walk.
Here are some rugs. Now, shall I help you to mount?" turning to Dexie.
"We are so cold I fear we can't hold on," she replied, her teeth chattering
an accompaniment to her words. "I feel as if I had no feet at all," she
added, as they lifted her up and brushed the snow from her garments.
"Oh, Lancy! I can't ride a horse," said Elsie, who was being brushed and
rubbed back to life. "I never could sit on a rocking-horse itself. I'll be
sure to fall."
"Well, you won't have far to fall, so let that comfort you," said Dexie,
who was settling herself to her unusual position. "Lift her up, Lancy.
There! now hold on tight, Elsie, for if you fall off we can't stop to dig
for you!" and the awkward riders moved slowly through the drifts, while Mr.
Taylor and his son disappeared down the bank, and very soon their shouts
told that the submerged horse was rescued.
The poor animal was thoroughly chilled, but warm rugs were spread over him,
and when, in the shelter of the stable, he was rubbed and doctored, he
seemed none the worse for his cold bath. Meanwhile, the women in the
house--good Samaritans, if ever there were any--had everything prepared for
the comfort of the travellers. Rousing fires were blazing in different
rooms, and garments were being warmed before them, while a steaming kettle,
containing some stimulating beverage, was waiting on the hearth. When the
half-frozen girls entered the house they received a warm welcome--warm in
more than one sense of the word, for the quick-handed women soon divested
them of their wearing apparel and placed warm garments upon them--and
before they had time to realize the change, they found themselves seated
before the fire, wrapped in warm blankets, sipping hot negus, a delicious
sense of warmth seeming to pervade their whole being; but as Dexie
possessed the most vitality she was the first to respond to the efforts put
forth for their relief.
Elsie did not rally so quickly. Her teeth chattered and her limbs trembled
long after she thought she was well warmed, but her heart was full of
gratitude as she said:
"I did not know there were such good, kind people in the world. It was
almost worth while to be caught in the storm to be treated so well by
strangers."
And Dexie, from the folds of her blanket, turned her large dark eyes on the
women who were kneeling beside them rubbing their feet, and said in a low
voice:
"We could not expect our best friends to treat us more kindly. Everything
seemed prepared for our comfort before you ever saw us. I'm sure I can't
think of one more thing that could be done for us."
"But there is one more thing to be done, my dears," and Mrs. Taylor smiled
kindly into their young faces. "We must put you to bed."
"Oh, dear! I feel too comfortable to move," and Dexie leaned back in her
big chair with a sigh of content.
"Well, it _is_ a pity to disturb you, but to bed you must go," and, much to
Dixie's surprise, a pair of strong arms lifted her as if she were a child,
and a moment later she found herself in the next room, where a comfortable
bed received her.
"How do you like being a baby again, Elsie?" she laughingly asked, as Elsie
was placed beside her.
"I think I rather like it, but we have made trouble enough for these good
women without letting them carry us to bed. How is it that you can be so
good to strangers?" and Elsie lifted her eyes to the motherly face.
"My dear! have you never read the words, 'I was a stranger, and ye took Me
in.' You know there is such a thing as entertaining angels unawares."
"I thought you were that kind of people," Elsie whispered, as Mrs. Taylor
bent to kiss her cheek.
"Did you, dear? Then I need not remind you that your thanks are due
elsewhere, for I am sure you both have grateful hearts to-night."
"Will you please tell us how Lancy is before you go? We have not heard his
voice since we came in," said Dexie.
"To be sure! but you need not be anxious about him. Your brother is in the
kitchen, snug and warm, by this time. I must go and put him to bed; but I
don't think I shall offer to carry him there," and she laughed softly,
adding, as she reached the door. "Do not get up in the morning till I give
you leave. You cannot get home until the roads are broken; so stay in bed
till the house is well warmed. Good-night, my dears."
There was an interval of silence; then Elsie said softly, "I wonder if our
mothers will be frightened because we are not home. I am afraid mother
would cry if she knew we were out in the storm to-night."
"Oh! they'll not fret, at least my mother will not. They know that Lancy
will look after us."
"Lancy kissed you to-night, didn't he, Dexie? Do you know I believe he has
fallen in love with you," said Elsie, in a confidential tone.
"Oh, Elsie! how can you say such a thing?" and Dexie blushed in the
darkness. "He kissed you good-bye, and, considering our danger, it was
natural enough to treat me the same; indeed he seems like a brother. Even
the people here think I am your sister."
"Oh! you needn't mind me, Dexie. Our folks all like you and would have no
objections, for I heard mamma tell Cora that she was pleased at Lancy's
choice, and thought you would get on very well together."
"Nonsense! Elsie; you must have misunderstood what they were talking about.
Lancy and I have been much together on account of our music, and your
mother would rather he spent his time over the piano with me, than with the
wild young men about the city; that is what she meant. It is only the music
that Lancy thinks of; so don't get foolish notions into your head, Elsie."
"Well, perhaps mamma did mean that, but I'm sure she didn't say it so. I
thought she meant--something else," and whatever suspicions had been
aroused in Elsie's innocent heart were lulled to rest for the time.
But this revelation aroused various feelings in Dexie's heart. She never
thought that the friendship existing between Lancy and herself would be so
differently construed. She liked Lancy very much, and never hesitated to
affirm it, but it made the blood rush to her face when she thought of
Lancy's good-bye kiss in the way Elsie had spoken of it.
"Such silliness! Our good times will all be spoiled if people begin to
imagine such nonsense about us. How shall I be able to meet him in the
morning? But there! it is only Elsie's foolish mistake; I will not think of
it any more," so, resolutely putting the subject from her mind, she fell
asleep.