Margaret sighed.
"It is long since we have seen you," said she; "and the time has passed very wearily."
"Hum," said Tom, stopping in his tune. "Where are your sisters, Miss Margaret?"
"Oh, they are at home again," replied Margaret. "I believe Emma is with my father, and Elizabeth in the kitchen. Did you hear of their being away so long?"
"How long?" cried Tom.
"From Wednesday to Saturday: there was I left without a creature to speak to except my father and the servants, snowed up in the house, and if they had only taken me with them, I should have enjoyed it as much as they did."
"I dare say; but how came they to go?" said Tom, who though really knowing nothing about it, was determined to learn all he could without betraying his ignorance.
"Oh, they wanted to return Mrs. Willis' visit, and they went over in the pony-chaise, and then the snow came on and stopped them there all that time. I dare say they liked to stay, for I have no doubt but they might have come home had they tried. At last my father was obliged to send for a post-chaise to fetch them home in, and they came on Saturday."
"And they liked it very much, did they?"
"Oh yes, of course—was it not hard I could not go too? I am always thwarted and ill-used."