the forms of a man and a woman
standing on the threshold.

"Have in, have in," cried the man genially. "Mary, see to the opening
of the stable while I bring the folks in. Ye are as welcome as the
spring would be, though ye did give us a great scare. 'Twas a most
unmannerly greeting, but 'twas not meant for ye. The times are such
that no man dares to open his door to a visitor when dark is coming on
without he knows who 'tis. This is a surprise. I had writ ye not to
come."

"You had, uncle?" queried Fairfax as they shook hands. Thomas Ashley
had left the door by this time, and now stood beside the sleigh.
"When? We did not get it."

"'Tis not to be wondered at considering the state of the country. I
sent it the last of January. Still, so long as ye didn't get it I'm
glad ye are here. So you brought your sweetheart along, heigh? Which
one is she?"

A ripple of laughter rose to Peggy's lips at the remark. Her spirits
had revived as soon as she understood that their reception was due to
caution rather than to the lack of welcome, and she spoke roguishly as
the farmer assisted her out of the sleigh:

"We did not bring her, friend. Thy nephew hath had to content himself
with Sally and me because Betty could not come."

"I'll warrant the boy hath not found the consolation irksome,"
laughed Mr. Ashley. A twinkle came into his eye as he noted the
youth's blushes and the mischievous glances of the girls. "Well,
well," he said, "ye are welcome anyway. Now, Hannah, go right in with
these girls while nevvy helps me with the horses."

"You surely don't keep that barn door open when there are horses
inside, do you, Tom?" Nurse Johnson's disapproval of the lax fastening
of the barn was plainly evident in her tones.

"It won't make any difference, Hannah, whether 'tis fastened or not.
If there's horses there somebody gets them anyway. We leave the door
open to save them the trouble of breaking the bolt."

"Then why do we put the horses there?" queried Fairfax in blank
consternation.

"We don't, nevvy." The farmer chuckled. "If we did we wouldn't have
them long. Wait a minute. There! There's Mary now."

The dwelling was a story and a half house, with a lean-to attached to
one end. Just as Farmer Ashley finished speaking the whole front of
the lean-to swung open in a great door, disclosing an aperture large
enough to admit both horses and sleigh. Mrs. Ashley emerged from the
dark interior as the door swung back, and came to