"I'll keep the fire going, Miss Grey," said her gallant helper, Harry.
"You try to sleep, or at least to rest."

"Indeed, Harry, I couldn't sleep if I tried. You know about these
storms--how long do they usually last? Do you suppose some one will
come for us?"

"Why, Miss Grey," said Harry, "I suppose every man in the village is
out now trying to get to us--surely every man who has a child in
school."

"I suppose every mother is half crazy," said Miss Grey.

"No doubt she is," said Harry.

Now when all was quiet inside the room, Miss Grey had leisure to
listen to the rage of the elements outside. How the savage wind roared
and beat upon the lonely little building as if it would tear it to
pieces and scatter its ruins over the pitiless prairie; how the icy
storm beat against the staring great windows as if in its fury it
would crash them in and bury them all. It was fearful, and Miss Grey,
unused to storms of such violence, shuddered as she listened.

"Harry," she whispered with white lips, "isn't this the worst storm
you ever knew? It seems as if it must blow the house down."

"No," said Harry, "I think they're all about alike. I was caught out
in one once."

"Were you? Did you get lost?"

"Oh, yes indeed; my father was with me and we wandered around, it
seemed for hours, till we saw a light and got to a farmhouse, miles
away from where we thought we were. I was so stiff with cold I
couldn't walk. I was a kid then"--he hastily added, "and my father had
to carry me to the house. He froze his ears and his nose that time."

"Well, this is the most awful storm I ever knew," said Miss Grey. "I
feel now as if I should run away from this place as soon as my term is
up."

"Don't," said Harry earnestly; "you're the best teacher we ever
had--don't go away!"

For some time not much was said between the two watchers. The
children--most of them--slept.

"Harry," said Miss Grey, after a while, "you didn't answer my question
of how long these storms usually last."

Harry looked a little confused, for he had purposely not answered it,
fearing to discourage her.

"Sometimes," he said, hesitatingly, "it is over in a few hours, but
sometimes," he added more slowly, "one has lasted two or three days."

"Oh!" cried Miss Grey in horror, "what can I do with the children!
They'll be hungry as bears when they wake!"

"Oh, they'll surely find us as soon as morning comes," said Harry. "I
wish we could show a light now;