"And how came you upon Mr. Cowper?"
"Sir?"
"How came you to be talking about Mr. Cowper?"
"I was reading about his hares, and about John Gilpin; and then Alice told me about Mr. Cowper and his friends."
"Well, I don't know, after all, that you have had a pleasanter evening than I have had," said her questioner, "though I have been riding hard, with the cold wind in my face, and the driving snow doing all it could to discomfort me. I have had this very bright fireside before me all the way."
He fell into a fit of grave musing, which lasted till Alice came in, then suddenly fell afumbling in his pocket.
"Here's a note for you," said he, throwing it into her lap.
"A note! Sophia Marshman where did you get it?"
"From her own hand. Passing there to-day, I thought I must stop a moment to speak to them, and had no notion of doing more; but Mrs. Marshman was very kind, and Miss Sophia in despair, so the end of it was, I dismounted and went in to await the preparing of that billet while my poor nag was led off to the stables and a fresh horse supplied me I fancy that tells you on what conditions."
"Charming!" said Alice "to spend Christmas I am very glad; I should like to, very much with you dear. If I can only get Papa but I think he will; it will do him a great deal of good. To-morrow, she says, we must come; but I doubt the weather will not let us; we shall see."