ind, fiercer than any other, swept
round the corner of the house and carried away Christine's hat. She made
a quick gesture to catch it, and as she did so, struck the horse under
the chin. The animal reared, and Christine jumped aside to avoid being
struck by its hoofs; the next instant, it had thrown its head in the air,
and started at full speed down the road, dragging the empty sleigh after
it. Riatt, who had his back turned, did not see the beginning of the
incident, but a cry from Christine soon roused his attention, and he
started in pursuit, calling to the animal to stop, in the hope that the
human voice might succeed when all other methods were quite obviously
useless. But the horse, now thoroughly excited by the hanging reins, the
bells, and the sense of its own power, went only faster and faster, and
finally disappeared at full speed.

Riatt came slowly back; he was sinking in the snow to his waist at every
step. Christine was watching him with some anxiety.

"Is there a telephone in the house?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"No, it's disconnected when we leave in the autumn."

There was a moment's silence, then she said questioningly: "What
shall we do?"

"There's only one thing we can do," he returned; "go into the house and
light a fire."

But Christine hesitated.

"I don't think it will be wise to waste time doing that," she said, "if
you have to go back on foot to the Usshers'--"

"Go back on foot!" Riatt interrupted. "My dear Miss Fenimer, that
is quite impossible. It must be every inch of ten miles, it's
dark, a blizzard is blowing, I don't know the way, and we haven't
passed a house."

"But, but," said she, "suppose they don't rescue us to-night?"

"They probably will to-morrow," answered Riatt, and he walked past her
into the house.

CHAPTER II

Christine was glad to get out of the wind, but the damp chill of the
deserted house was not much of an improvement. Ahead of her in the
darkness, she could hear Riatt snapping electric switches which
produced nothing.

"Isn't the light connected?" he called.

"I don't know."

"Aren't there lamps in the house?"

"I don't know."

"Where could I find some candles?"

"What a tiresome man!" she thought; and for the third time she answered:
"I don't know."

A rather unappreciative grunt was his only reply, and then he called
back: "You'd better stay where you are, till I find something to
make a light."

She asked nothing bet