a glance at its receding form.

One passenger, however, stepped from the car who evidently was not
expecting friends to meet her, as she immediately left the platform and
walked briskly up the road as if familiar with the place, and sure of the
direction which she must take to reach her destination.

What had been a high wind during the day, now became a gale, and the
solitary figure wrapped her cloak closer about her and pushed resolutely
on, never pausing, yet at times looking hastily over her shoulder as if
fearful of a possible pursuer. As she passed a deserted farm house, a
sudden gust of wind blew one of its dilapidated blinds against the window,
shattering the glass with a resounding crash. With a scream the girl
sprang forward, then, half wild with fright she ran with a headlong pace
up the road.

The promise of the leaden sky was now fulfilled, the falling sleet cutting
the girl's white cheeks, and serving to make the night more cheerless.

Again she tried to draw the folds of her cloak about her, but the wind
snatched it from her fingers and blew it back and she was obliged to stop
and, for a moment, turn her back to the gale until she could securely
fasten the clasps which held it. Her hands shook with cold and fear, and
when she turned about and tried once more to run she found that her limbs
were weak with terror and that her progress must be slow. The great
branches of the trees groaned in the wind, as if crying out against such
rough handling, and the snow fell faster as the girl dragged herself along
the lonely road.

* * * * *

"The cauld increases," said Sandy. "I'll stir the fire an' throw on
anither log."

"It's snawin'," announced Janie, as she emerged from behind the window
shade and ran to the fireplace, where she seated herself beside Sir
Walter, her arm about his neck.

"Ain't ye glad ye're na scurryin' after the sheep at hame, ye big auld
dear?" asked Janie.

The collie laid his head lovingly against her shoulder, as if agreeing,
and Tam, seeing the caress, looked as if he thought Janie's taste in her
choice of pets deteriorating.

"Ah, Tam, Tam," she cried with a laugh, "are ye sae selfish ye want a' my
love? I love ye baith, an' I wad ye loved each ither."

"Hark, Sandy! Did some one knock?" asked Mrs. McLeod, as she looked toward
the door.

"Nae ane's aboot this night--Ay, Margaret, ye're right as usual, there's a
faint sound, an' I'll be seein'