The Washington herald., 1916-01-03
sz IxoLA FoRREsrsR.


ship. visiting the Deimsrs on New
Years. Wrapped to her ears in fur
with q cap meeting her collar. Wtni-
fred stood on the bleak little platform
at Byers' Corners and looked through
the snowfall for anything that seem
ed to be . conveyance.
She had left Boston at s4s-plenty
Of time to reach Windyheath in good
time. Anne had written her.
It's just a nice Httl run over from
Providence on the Providence and Will
limantic line. Well meet you at Byers'
Corners. The trains only stop there on
| signal or to let OFF visitors. and the
only visitors that ever come are ours.
! II Rolf or I can't come over I'll send
a wonderful substitute"
Evidently Rolf. Anne and the sub
| stitute had been overcome by the
storm. Trains had been delayed from
| local line they had waited again and
again along the way. There had been
no real need of any signal 10 let her
| OF when Byers' Corners came in view.
The drifts were so high that II took
the train twenty minutes to get out
Of Bycrs Corners. let alone getting In.
But again Anne had written:
Don't feel discouraged getting TO
US. We live In the quaintest little
| village perched on the top of a hill,
but 1t is wonderful when you get
here. and were pilins on big logs for
you and the latchstring bangles. so
be sure and come. Also. I have your
romance! He has come true. Win. at
| last, and he's all that any one who
loves you could wish for you"
II certainly was stimulating, ~
| nothing else. both the lure of the let
ter and the trip itself winifred wsnt
around the other side of the tiny sta
tion and heard voices. man was
arguing about some way of reaching
the Delmars, and the stocky driver of
a two-horse sleigh demurred evssfvely.
7 ITS nine miles ordinarily up there
| and we'd have to go rounda bout by
Butts bridge tonight cause the roads
amt been broke through tother way.
and then like enough we'd never make
1t. It's worth fve dollars to drive over
there. every cent of H."
| 'rll pay you Ave" said the stranger.
| Hurry up"
| Il can't guarantees to get you there.
but I'll DO my best. This here's the
| only team in town you could get to-
| night. There's a dance over at Pom
fret Green and everybody's gone. I
meant to go. but had TO take some
folks down to this train. so / don't
mind making a little going since had
to earn some coming"
| ''Oh, could I 60 with you. p1esseT-
Winifred broke in. I'D pay half.
| don't you know, and there's plenty OF
room. I'm going to the Delmars.
too"
i 1t seemed too good to be true when
she found herself safely tucked away
on the back seat, with buffalo robes
around her and the two horses taking
up the road splendidly, their hoofs
/ nf 81
He was Gregory Rsmsdell. he told
her, writer and globe trotter. He had
just got back from a year at the front
in Europe and he said Connecticut
hills looked better TO him than all the
old world put together. Even in the
darkness the pine trsss stood out their
branches heavy with snow, and before
them here and there In the fields were
} clumps of white birch and red oak.
with dry leaves still ciinging to their
ooughs. 1t was not really dark A
curious luminous radiance hung over
the winter world, and the stars shone
famously up In the winter sky.
/ Gregory half turned in his seat and
talked. They had many friends in COM
mon. He had known Rolf since they
were boys back in Denver. Neither of
them noticed after Eve miles had been
covered that the horses were walk
ing, breasting the drifts and literally
wadinG through, until they came to q
dead halt ana the driver jumped out
They couldn't 60 on, he said The snow
was up to the top of the fences as
far as one could see. He could turn
around and get them UP to the old
Annabelle Smith place. where there
was a telephone, and they could call
up windyheath.
It's only nine-thirty." Gregory said
reassuringly. And we don't get an ad-
venture every day. Let's 60"
The Smith place was dark when they
| reached IL, but the driver knocked
Justify and finally there was a faint.
frightened voice from the inner side
of the front door asking who II was
that time Of night. Gregory explain
ed, with the drivers help, and they
were admitted.
But you can't get word through to-
night. The wires don't work. They
. never do after a big storm on these
here party lines" said Miss Smith,
holding up a big oil lamp. lust step
right out into the kitchen and you
stir up the fire. Ira. Make yourselves
to home, folkses. Ira can drive back
and maybe telephone from the village
up there"
winIfred never forgot that New
Years eve. After Ira had gone. they
sat out in the CHEEKY old kitchen,
drinking tea. eating nuts and apples
and mince pie, and getting fesrfully
well acquainted, as Miss Smith put il
laughingly. Gregory carried in wood
and split kindlings for morning. and
locked up for the night. While Miss
!, Smith went up to look after her old
bedridden father. they sat together by
the fire. and somehow talk died away.
The old clock up on the chimney man
tel softly struck twelve in the silence
Winifred looked UP and smiled. her
head leaning back on the cushioned
top of the old black rocker.
}, Happy New Year!" she said. isn't
Z 1t the Queerest thing, our being way
up here miles from every one we
know, and not knowing each other