"Carleton, Carleton," she asked as he came to lift her to the ground, "see those people how oddly they act. The whole town is in the street. What is the matter?"
"Nothing, except that if we do not hasten we shall have to return unmarried. The minister is waiting for us."
"What, in the church?"
"Yes, dear. We are a little late."
She took his arm, and though they were a fine couple and the event was almost an unprecedented one in that remote village, only a few followed them; the rest hung round their homes or gazed with indecision at the mountains or up and down along the empty roads.
"Wilt thou have this woman...."
The ceremony had proceeded thus far and all seemed well, when with a rush and a cry a dozen people burst into the building.
"The snows are moving!" rang up the aisles in accents of mad terror. "Save yourselves!"
Then came the silence of emptiness. Every soul had left the church save the three before the pulpit.