fuel all but extinguished the fire.
Before the engineer could back the heavy train, the snow swirled in
behind it and built a drift over the platform of the rear coach. The
train was completely stalled.

This happened after eleven o'clock and while they were between stations.
It was a lonely and rugged country, and even farm-houses were far apart.
The train was about midway between stations, the distance from one to the
other being some twenty miles. The weight of the snow had already broken
down long stretches of telegraph and telephone wires. No aid for the
snow-bound train and passengers could be obtained.

Before this, however, the porter had insisted upon making up the girls'
berths and, like most of the other passengers in the Pullman, Nan and
Bess were asleep. While the passengers slept the snow continued to sift
down, building the drifts higher and higher, and causing the train-crew
increasing worriment of mind.

The locomotive could no longer pierce the drifts. The train had been too
heavy for her from the first. Fuel supply had been renewed at the
Junction, as well as water; but the coal was now needed to keep up steam
for the cars--and it would not last long for that purpose.

If the storm continued until morning without change, it might be several
days before the road could be opened from either end of the division.
Food and fuel would be very hard to obtain in this waste of snow, and so
far from human habitation.

The two conductors and the engineer spent most of the night discussing
ways and means. Meanwhile the snow continued to fall and the passengers,
for the most part, rested in ignorance of the peril that threatened.

CHAPTER IV

CAST AWAY IN THE SNOW

It was Bess who came back from the ladies' room on the Pullman and
startled Nan Sherwood by shaking her by the shoulder as she lay in the
upper berth, demanding:

"Have you any idea what time it is, Nan? Say! have you?"

"No-o--ouch!" yawned her chum. "Goodness! That was my elbow. There's not
much room on these shelves, is there?"

"Do you hear me?" shrilled Bess. "What time do you suppose it is?"

"Oh, dear me! Is that a conundrum?" asked Nan, with but faint interest.

"Wake up!" and Bess pinched her. "I never knew you so stupid before. See
my watch, Nan," and she held the small gold time-piece she had owned
since her last birthday, so that her chum could see its face.

"A quarter to eight," read Nan from the dial. "Well! that'