"Then I shall be greatly obliged if you will be so kind as to stop and relieve my father's anxiety. But how can you go in such weather? and so dark as it is."
"Never fear," said Mr. Van Brunt. "We'll be back in half an hour, if 'Brahm and me don't come across a snowdrift a leetle too deep. Good night, Maam." And out he went.
" 'Back in half an hour,' " said Alice, musing. "Why, he said he had been to untie his horse for the night. He must be going on our account, I am sure, Ellen!"
"On your account," said Ellen, smiling. "Oh, I knew that all the time, Miss Alice. I don't think he'll stop to relieve Aunt Fortune's anxiety."
Alice sprang to call him back, but Mrs. Van Brunt assured her it was too late, and that she need not be uneasy, for her son "didn't mind the storm no more than a weather-board. 'Brahm and 'Brahm could go anywhere in any sort of a time. He was agoing without speaking to you, but I told him he had better, for maybe you wanted to send some word particular. And your room's ready now, dear, and you'd better go to bed, and sleep as long as you can."
They went thankfully.
"Isn't this a pleasant room?" said Ellen, who saw everything in rose colour; "and a nice bed? But I feel as if I could sleep on the floor to-night. Isn't it a'most worth while to have such a time, Miss Alice, for the sake of the pleasure afterwards?"
"I don't know, Ellen," said Alice, smiling; "I won't say that; though it is worth paying a price for, to find how much kindness there is in some people's hearts. As to sleeping on the floor, I must say I never felt less inclined to it."
"Well, I am tired enough, too," said Ellen, as they laid themselves down. "Two nights with you in a week! Oh, those weeks before I saw you, Miss Alice!"
One earnest kiss for good night; and Ellen's sign of pleasure on touching the pillow was scarcely breathed when sleep, deep and sound, fell upon her eyelids.