pacious sleigh, lined with bearskins,
furnished with foot warmers, and drawn by four strong horses, covered
their laps with more bearskins and started for Oldfield.

The full moon was rising over the bay on the east, and the sun was sinking
behind the high, wooded hill on the west, as they passed out of the south
gate and entered the turnpike road that skirted the hill and then ran
parallel to the shore of the bay all the way to Oldfield Farm. It was a
fine, level road along the shore, and they had a delightful sleigh ride
over the frozen snow, which, in a little more than an hour's time, brought
them to Oldfield Farm. The approach from the bay side was through a pine
wood, from which, when they emerged, they came in view of the house, which
was lighted up from garret to ground floor. Half a dozen or more of other
sleighs, which had brought company to the farm, and from which the horses
had been taken and led to the stable, stood in the yard.

The negro boy, Dan, no longer ragged, as when we first made his
acquaintance at Grove Hill, but dressed neatly in his new Christmas suit,
came to the horses' heads, while Mr. Force and Leonidas got out to assist
the ladies and children to alight.

"Marse Abul," said Dan, apologetically, "I can take dese horses to de
stable, an' put all dese b'arskins in de lof', an' 'vite Uncle Jake inter
de kitchen, but I 'spects I'll hab ter leabe de big sleigh out yere, caze
dere ain't no room in de stable fo' all dese yer big sleighs in de yard.
'Sides w'ich, it bein' ob a cl'ar night, de sleigh won't take no harm."

"All right; leave the sleigh here, my boy," said Mr. Force, drawing his
wife's arm within his own, and leading the way into the lighted passage,
followed by all the rest of his party.

On the right side of the passage was an open door, leading into a room in
which tables along the walls were covered with Christmas goodies; while on
the left hand was another room, in which were gathered about thirty
people, young, middle-aged and old--some sitting down, some standing in
groups, some walking about in pairs, and all talking at once, and no one
listening, apparently.

At the end of the hall, directly opposite the front door, there was a
flight of steps leading to the rooms above, and up these stairs our party
went to take off their wraps. In the upper passage there were doors on the
right and left leading into bedrooms. At one of these doors, on the right,
stood Peggy Grandiere,