"As Fanny turned to go into the house, a few snow-flakes came drifting downwards through the air."
"'There!' said Fanny. 'It is going to snow, after all. I hope father and mother will not get caught in the storm.'"
"Fanny drew her wheel—her own pretty wheel, made expressly for her and given her on her last birthday—into its usual place, and applied herself sedulously to her task, stepping busily backwards and forwards and singing to herself. She was spinning some uncommonly fine stocking yarn, and she took great pride in making a smooth, even thread."
"'I will not even look out of the window,' said she to herself, 'till I have spun all these rolls.'"
"This was a very good plan of Fanny's. Nothing makes the time pass more quickly than setting oneself a certain task, and sticking to it steadily till it is finished. Fanny went on with her spinning, and soon became interested in her work, which she tried to do as well as she possibly could. As she took up the last roll, a fierce gust of wind shook the window so strongly that she turned, without thinking, and looked out. The air was full of snow-flakes whirling in all directions, as they were driven by the wind. Fanny went to the window. She could not even see the barn."
"'It is only a squall,' thought Fanny. 'It will be over presently. I only hope Miss Gibson has not got caught in it. I do wonder why she does not come. She told father she would be here directly after breakfast.'"
"Fanny was destined to wonder a great many times before the day closed, for Miss Gibson did not come at all, because she did not even set out. The truth of the matter was this. When Miss Gibson rose in the morning, she found she had a bad sore throat. She had taken cold in some way, and her throat was very much swollen and so sore that she could hardly swallow her breakfast."
"'You will never be able to go up to Bolt's Hill this morning,' said Mrs. Morrell."
"'I don't like to disappoint Fanny,' said Miss Gibson, 'especially as she is to be alone to-day. Perhaps I will feel better when I have had my breakfast.'"
"'We shall see,' returned Mrs. Morrell, shaking her head. 'I am much mistaken if you get out of the house this day, or to-morrow either.'"