The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine Read online

  PART IV

  When the little party, consisting of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine, Mr.Enderton, my newly made wife, and myself, with the red-bearded coxswainand the two sailormen, bade farewell to that island in the Pacific whereso many happy hours had been passed, where such pleasant friendships hadbeen formed, and where I had met my Ruth and made her my wife, we rowedaway with a bright sky over our heads, a pleasant wind behind us, and asmooth sea beneath us. The long-boat was comfortable and well appointed,and there was even room enough in it for Mr. Enderton to stretch himselfout and take a noonday nap. We gave him every advantage of this kind,for we had found by experience that our party was happiest when myfather-in-law was best contented.

  Early in the forenoon the coxswain rigged a small sail in the bow of theboat, and with this aid to our steady and systematic work at the oarswe reached, just before nightfall, the large island whither we werebound, and to which, by means of the coxswain's pocket-compass, we hadsteered a direct course. Our arrival on this island, which was inhabitedby some white traders and a moderate population of natives, occasionedgreat surprise; for when the boats containing the crew and passengers ofour unfortunate steamer had reached the island, it was found that Mrs.Lecks, Mrs. Aleshine, and myself were missing. There were manysuppositions as to our fate. Some persons thought we had been afraid toleave the steamer, and, having secreted ourselves on board, had gonedown with her. Others conjectured that in the darkness we had fallenoverboard, either from the steamer or from one of the boats; and therewas even a surmise that we might have embarked in the leaky smallboat--in which we really did leave the steamer--and so had been lost. Atany rate, we had disappeared, and our loss was a good deal talked aboutand, in a manner, mourned. In less than a week after their arrival thepeople from the steamer had been taken on board a sailing-vessel andcarried westward to their destination.

  We, however, were not so fortunate, for we remained on this island formore than a month. During this time but one ship touched there, and shewas western bound and of no use to us, for we had determined to returnto America. Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine had given up their journey toJapan, and were anxious to reach once more their country homes, while mydear Ruth and I were filled with a desire to found a home on somepleasant portion of the Atlantic seaboard. What Mr. Enderton intended todo we did not know. He was on his way to the United States when he leftthe leaking ship on which he and his daughter were passengers, and hisintentions regarding his journey did not appear to have been altered byhis mishaps.

  By the western-bound vessel, however, Mrs. Aleshine sent a letter to herson.

  Our life on this island was monotonous and to the majority of the partyuninteresting; but as it was the scene of our honeymoon, Mrs. Craig andI will always look back to it with the most pleasurable recollections.We were comfortably lodged in a house belonging to one of the traders,and although Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine had no household duties tooccupy their time, they managed to supply themselves withknitting-materials from the stores on the island, and filled up theirhours of waiting with chatty industry. The pipes of our sailor friendswere always well filled, while the sands of the island were warm andpleasant for their backs, and it was only Mr. Enderton who showed anysigns of impatient repining at our enforced stay. He growled, hegrumbled, and he inveighed against the criminal neglect of steamshipcompanies and the owners of sailing-craft in not making it compulsory inevery one of their vessels to stop on every voyage at this island,where, at any time, intelligent and important personages might bestranded.

  At last, however, we were taken off by a three-masted schooner bound forSan Francisco, at which city we arrived in due time and in good healthand condition.

  We did not remain long in this city, but soon started on our way acrossthe continent, leaving behind us our three sailor companions, whointended to ship from this port as soon as an advantageous opportunityoffered itself. These men heard no news of their vessel, although theyfelt quite sure that she had reached Honolulu, where she had probablybeen condemned and the crew scattered. As some baggage belonging to mywife and my father-in-law had been left on board this vessel, I hadhopes that Mr. Enderton would remain in San Francisco and order itforwarded to him there; or that he would even take a trip to Honolulu toattend to the matter personally. But in this I was disappointed. Heseemed to take very little interest in his missing trunks, and wishedonly to press on to the East. I wrote to Honolulu, desiring thenecessary steps to be taken to forward the baggage in case it hadarrived there; and soon afterward our party of five started eastward.

  It was now autumn, but, although we desired to reach the end of ourjourney before winter set in, we felt that we had time enough to visitsome of the natural wonders of the California country before taking upour direct course to the East. Therefore, in spite of some petulantremonstrances on the part of Mr. Enderton, we made several trips topoints of interest.

  From the last of these excursions we set out in a stage-coach, of whichwe were the only occupants, toward a point on the railroad where weexpected to take a train. On the way we stopped to change horses at asmall stage-station at the foot of a range of mountains; and when Idescended from the coach I found the driver and some of the men at thestation discussing the subject of our route. It appeared that there weretwo roads, one of which gradually ascended the mountain for severalmiles, and then descended to the level of the railroad, by the side ofwhich it ran until it reached the station where we wished to take thetrain. The other road pursued its way along a valley or notch in themountain for a considerable distance, and then, by a short but somewhatsteep ascending grade, joined the upper road.

  It was growing quite cold, and the sky and the wind indicated that badweather might be expected; and as the upper road was considered thebetter one at such a time, our driver concluded to take it. Six horses,instead of four, were now attached to our stage; and as two of theseanimals were young and unruly, and promised to be unusually difficult todrive in the ordinary way, our driver concluded to ride one of thewheel-horses, postilion fashion, and to put a boy on one of the leaders.Mr. Enderton was very much afraid of horses, and objected strongly tothe young animals in our new team. But there were no others to taketheir places, and his protests were disregarded.

  My wife and I occupied a back seat, having been ordered to take thiscomfortable position by Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine, who hadconstituted themselves a board of instruction and admonition to Mrs.Craig, and incidentally to myself. They fancied that my wife's healthwas not vigorous, and that she needed coddling, and if she had had twomothers she could not have been more tenderly cared for than by thesegood women. They sat upon the middle seat with their faces toward thehorses, while Mr. Enderton had the front seat all to himself. He was,however, so nervous and fidgety, continually twisting himself aboutendeavoring to get a view of the horses or of the bad places on theroad, that Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine found that a position facing himand in close juxtaposition was entirely too uncomfortable; andconsequently, the back of their seat being adjustable, they turnedthemselves about and faced us.

  The ascent of the mountain was slow and tedious, and it was late in theafternoon when we reached the highest point in our route, from which theroad descended for some eight miles to the level of the railroad. Nowour pace became rapid, and Mr. Enderton grew wildly excited. He threwopen the window, and shouted to the driver to go more slowly; but Mrs.Lecks seized him by the coat and jerked him back on his seat before hecould get any answer to his appeals.

  "If you want your daughter to ketch her death o' cold you'll keep thatwindow open!" As she said this, she leaned back and pulled the windowdown with her own strong right arm. "I guess the driver knows what he isabout," she continued, "this not bein' the first time he's gone over theroad."

  "Am I to understand, madam," said Mr. Enderton, "that I am not to speakto my driver when I wish him to know my will?"

  To this question Mrs. Lecks made no answer, but sat up very straight andstiff, with her back square upon the speaker.
For some time she and Mr.Enderton had been "out," and she made no effort to conceal the fact.

  Mr. Enderton's condition now became pitiable, for our rapid speed andthe bumping over rough places in the road seemed almost to deprive himof his wits, notwithstanding my assurance that stage-coaches weregenerally driven at a rapid rate down long inclines. In a short time,however, we reached a level spot in the road, and the team was drawn upand stopped. Mr. Enderton popped out in a moment, and I also got down tohave a talk with the driver.

  "THE ASCENT OF THE MOUNTAIN WAS SLOW AND TEDIOUS."]

  "These hosses won't do much at holdin' back," he said, "and it worries'em less to let 'em go ahead with the wheels locked. You needn't beafraid. If nothin' breaks, we're all right."

  Mr. Enderton seemed endeavoring to satisfy himself that everything aboutthe running-gear of the coach was in a safe condition. He examined thewheels, the axles, and the whiffletrees, much to the amusement of thedriver, who remarked to me that the old chap probably knew as much nowas he did before. I was rather surprised that my father-in-law subjectedthe driver to no further condemnation. On the contrary, he said nothingexcept that for the rest of this downhill drive he should take his placeon the driver's unoccupied seat. Nobody offered any objection to this,and up he climbed.

  When we started again, Ruth seemed disturbed that her father should bein such an exposed position, but I assured her that he would beperfectly safe, and would be much better satisfied at being able to seefor himself what was going on.

  We now began to go downhill again at a rate as rapid as before. Ourspeed, however, was not equal. Sometimes it would slacken a little wherethe road was heavy or more upon a level, and then we would go joltingand rattling over some long downward stretch. After a particularlyunpleasant descent of this kind the coach seemed suddenly to change itsdirection, and with a twist and an uplifting of one side it bumpedheavily against something, and stopped. I heard a great shout outside,and from a window which now commanded a view of the road I saw our teamof six horses, with the drivers pulling and tugging at the two theyrode, madly running away at the top of their speed.

  Ruth, who had been thrown by the shock into the arms of Mrs. Aleshine,was dreadfully frightened, and screamed for her father. I had beenpitched forward upon Mrs. Lecks, but I quickly recovered myself, and assoon as I found that none of the occupants of the coach had been hurt, Iopened the door and sprang out.

  In the middle of the road stood Mr. Enderton, entirely uninjured, with ajubilant expression on his face, and in one hand a large closedumbrella.

  "What has happened?" I exclaimed, hurrying around to the front of thecoach, where I saw that the pole had been broken off about the middle ofits length.

  "Nothing has happened, sir," replied Mr. Enderton. "You cannot speak ofa wise and discreet act, determinately performed, as a thing which hashappened. We have been saved, sir, from being dashed to pieces behindthat wild and unmanageable team of horses; and I will add that we havebeen saved by my forethought and prompt action."

  "'WHAT HAS HAPPENED?' I EXCLAIMED."]

  I turned and looked at him in astonishment. "What do you mean?" I said."What could you have had to do with this accident?"

  "Allow me to repeat," said Mr. Enderton, "that it was not an accident.The moment that we began to go downhill I perceived that we were in aposition of the greatest danger. The driver was reckless, the boyincompetent, and the horses unmanageable. As my remonstrances andcounsels had no effect upon the man, and as you seemed to have no desireto join me in efforts to restrain him to a more prudent rate of speed, Idetermined to take the affair into my own hands. I knew that the firstthing to be done was to rid ourselves of those horses. So long as wewere connected with them disaster was imminent. I knew exactly whatought to be done. The horses must be detached from the coach. I hadread, sir, of inventions especially intended to detach runaway horsesfrom a vehicle. To all intents and purposes our horses were runaways, orwould have become so in a very short time. I now made it my object tofree ourselves from those horses."

  "What!" I exclaimed. "You freed us?"

  "Yes, sir," he answered; "I did. I got out at our first stop, andthoroughly examined the carriage attachments. I found that the movablebar to which the whiffletrees were attached was connected to the vehicleby two straps and a bolt, the latter having a ring at the top and aniron nut at the bottom. While you and that reckless driver were talkingtogether, and paying no attention to me, the only person in the partywho thoroughly comprehended our danger, I unbuckled those straps, andwith my strong, nervous fingers, without the aid of implements, Iunscrewed the nut from the bolt. Then, sir, I took my seat on theoutside of the coach, and felt that I held our safety in my own hands.For a time I allowed our vehicle to proceed; but when we approachedthis long slope which stretches before us, and our horses showed signsof increasing impetuosity, I leaned forward, hooked the handle of myumbrella in the ring of the bolt, and with a mighty effort jerked itout. I admit to you, sir, that I had overlooked the fact that the horseswere also attached to the end of the pole, but I have often noticed thatwhen we are discreet in judgment and prompt in action we are alsofortunate. Thus was I fortunate. The hindermost horses, suddenlyreleased, rushed upon those in front of them, and, in a manner, jumbledup the whole team, which seemed to throw the animals into such terrorthat they dashed to one side and snapped off the pole, after which theywent madly tearing down the road, entirely beyond the control of the tworiders. Our coach turned and ran into the side of the road with but amoderate concussion, and as I looked at those flying steeds, with theirriders vainly endeavoring to restrain them, I could not, sir, keep downan emotion of pride that I had been instrumental in freeing myself, mydaughter, and my traveling companions from their dangerous proximity."

  The speaker ceased, a smile of conscious merit upon his face. For themoment I could not say a word to him, I was so angry. But had I beenable to say or do anything to indicate the wild indignation that filledmy brain, I should have had no opportunity, for Mrs. Lecks stepped up tome and took me by the arm. Her face was very stern, and her expressiongave one the idea of the rigidity of Bessemer steel.

  "I've heard what has been said," she remarked, "and I wish to talk tothis man. Your wife is over there with Mrs. Aleshine. Will you pleasetake a walk with her along the road? You may stay away for a quarter ofan hour."

  "Madam," said Mr. Enderton, "I do not wish to talk to you."

  "I didn't ask you whether you did or not," said Mrs. Lecks. "Mr. Craig,will you please get your wife away as quick and as far as you can?"

  I took the hint, and, with Ruth on my arm, walked rapidly down the road.She was very glad to go, for she had been much frightened, and wanted tobe alone with me to have me explain to her what had occurred. Mrs.Lecks, imagining from the expression of his countenance that Mr.Enderton had, in some way, been at the bottom of the trouble, andfearing that she should not be able to restrain her indignation when shefound how he had done it, had ordered Mrs. Aleshine to keep Ruth awayfrom her father. This action had increased the poor girl's anxiety, andshe was glad enough to have me take her away and tell her all about ouraccident.

  I did tell her all that had happened, speaking as mildly as I could ofMr. Enderton's conduct. Poor Ruth burst into tears.

  "I do wish," she exclaimed, "that father would travel by himself! He isso nervous, and so easily frightened, that I am sure he would be happierwhen he could attend to his safety in his own way; and I know, too, thatwe should be happier without him."

  I agreed most heartily with these sentiments, although I did not deem itnecessary to say so, and Ruth now asked me what I supposed would becomeof us.

  "If nothing happens to the driver and the boy," I replied, "I supposethey will go on until they get to the station to which we were bound,and there they will procure a pole, if such a thing can be found, or,perhaps, get another coach, and come back for us. It would be uselessfor them to return to our coach in its present condition."

  "And how soon do y
ou think they will come back?" she said.

  "Not for some hours," I replied. "The driver told me there were nohouses between the place where we last stopped and the railroad-station,and I am sure he will not turn back until he reaches a place where hecan get either a new pole or another vehicle."

  Ruth and I walked to a turn at the bottom of the long hill down whichour runaway steeds had sped. At this point we had an extended view ofthe road as it wound along the mountain-side, but we could see no signsof our horses, nor of any living thing. I did not, in fact, expect tosee our team, for it would be foolish in the driver to come back untilhe was prepared to do something for us, and even if he had succeeded incontrolling the runaway beasts, the quicker he got down the mountain thebetter.

  By the time we had returned we had taken quite a long walk, but we wereglad of it, for the exercise tranquilized us both. On our way back wenoticed that a road which seemed to come up from below us joined the onewe were on a short distance from the place where our accident occurred.This, probably, was the lower road which had been spoken of when wechanged horses.

  We found Mr. Enderton standing by himself. His face was of the hue ofwood-ashes, his expression haggard. He reminded me of a man who hadfallen from a considerable height, and who had been frightened andstupefied by the shock. I comprehended the situation without difficulty,and felt quite sure that had he had the choice he would have muchpreferred a thrashing to the plain talk he had heard from Mrs. Lecks.

  "What is the matter, father?" exclaimed Ruth. "Were you hurt?"

  Mr. Enderton looked in a dazed way at his daughter, and it was somemoments before he appeared to have heard what she said. Then he answeredabruptly: "Hurt? Oh, no! I am not hurt in the least. I was just thinkingof something. I shall walk on to the village or town, whichever it is,to which that man was taking us. It cannot be more than seven or eightmiles away, if that. The road is downhill, and I can easily reach theplace before nightfall. I will then personally attend to your rescue,and will see that a vehicle is immediately sent to you. There is notrusting these ignorant drivers. No," he continued, deprecatinglyraising his hand; "do not attempt to dissuade me. Your safety and thatof others is always my first care. Exertion is nothing."

  Without further words, and paying no attention to the remonstrances ofhis daughter, he strode off down the road.

  I was very glad to see him go. At any time his presence was undesirableto me, and under the present circumstances it would be moreobjectionable than ever. He was a good walker, and there was no doubt hewould easily reach the station, where he might possibly be of some useto us.

  Mrs. Lecks was sitting on a stone by the roadside. Her face was stillstern and rigid, but there was an expression of satisfaction upon itwhich had not been there when I left her. Ruth went to the coach to geta shawl, and I said to Mrs. Lecks:

  "I suppose you had your talk with Mr. Enderton?"

  "MRS. LECKS WAS SITTING ON A STONE."]

  "Talk!" she replied. "I should say so! If ever a man understands whatpeople think of him, and knows what he is, from his crown to his feet,inside and outside, soul, body, bones, and skin, and what he may expectin this world and the next, he knows it. I didn't keep to what he hasdone for us this day. I went back to the first moment when he began togrowl at payin' his honest board on the island, and I didn't let himoff for a single sin that he has committed since. And now I feel thatI've done my duty as far as he is concerned; and havin' got through withthat, it's time we were lookin' about to see what we can do forourselves."

  It was indeed time, for the day was drawing toward its close. For amoment I had thought we would give Mr. Enderton a good start, and thenfollow him down the mountain to the station. But a little reflectionshowed me that this plan would not answer. Ruth was not strong enough towalk so far, and although Mrs. Aleshine had plenty of vigor, she was tooplump to attempt such a tramp. Besides, the sky was so heavily overcastthat it was not safe to leave the shelter of the coach.

  As might have been expected, Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine took immediatecharge of the personal comfort of the party, and the first thing theydid was to make preparations for a meal. Fortunately, we had plenty ofprovisions. Mrs. Aleshine had had charge of what she called ourlunch-baskets,--which were, indeed, much more like market-baskets thananything else,--and having small faith in the resources of roadsidetaverns, and great faith in the unlimited capabilities of Mr. Endertonin the matter of consuming food on a journey, she had providedbounteously and even extravagantly.

  One side of the road was bordered by a forest, and on the ground was anabundance of dead wood. I gathered a quantity of this, and made a fire,which was very grateful to us, for the air was growing colder andcolder. When we had eaten a substantial supper and had thoroughlywarmed ourselves at the fire, we got into the coach to sit there andwait until relief should come. We sat for a long time--all night, infact. We were not uncomfortable, for we each had a corner of the coach,and we were plentifully provided with wraps and rugs.

  Contrary to their usual habit, Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine did not talkmuch. When subjected to the annoyances of an ordinary accident, even ifit should have been the result of carelessness, their disposition wouldhave prompted them to take events as they came, and to make the best ofwhatever might happen to them. But this case was entirely different. Wewere stranded and abandoned on the road, on the side of a lonely,desolate mountain, on a cold, bleak night; and all this was the resultof what they considered the deliberate and fiendish act of a man who wasafraid of horses, and who cared for no one in the world but himself.Their minds were in such a condition that if they said anything theymust vituperate, and they were so kindly disposed toward my wife, andhad such a tender regard for her feelings, that they would not, in herpresence, vituperate her father. So they said very little, and, nestlinginto their corners, were soon asleep.

  After a time Ruth followed their example, and, though I was veryanxiously watching out of the window for an approaching light, andlistening for the sound of wheels, I, too, fell into a doze. It musthave been ten or eleven o'clock when I was awakened by some delicate butcold touches on my face, the nature of which, when I first opened myeyes, I could not comprehend. But I soon understood what these coldtouches meant. The window in the door of the coach on my side had beenslightly lowered from the top to give us air, and through the narrowaperture the cold particles had come floating in. I looked through thewindow. The night was not very dark, for, although the sky was overcast,the moon was in its second quarter, and I could plainly see that it wassnowing, and that the ground was already white.

  This discovery sent a chill into my soul, for I was not unfamiliar withsnows in mountain regions, and knew well what this might mean to us. Butthere was nothing that we could now do, and it would be useless andfoolish to awaken my companions and distress them with this newdisaster. Besides, I thought our situation might not be so very bad,after all. It was not yet winter, and the snowfall might prove to be buta light one. I gently closed the window, and made my body comfortable inits corner; but my mind continued very uncomfortable for I do not knowhow long.

  When I awoke I found that there had been a heavy fall of snow in thenight, and that the flakes were still coming down thick and fast. WhenRuth first looked out upon the scene she was startled and dismayed. Shewas not accustomed to storms of this kind, and the snow frightened her.Upon Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine the sight of the storm produced anentirely different effect. Here was a difficulty, a discomfort, ahardship; but it came in a natural way, and not by the hand of adastardly coward of a man. With natural-happening difficulties they wereaccustomed to combat without fear or repining. They knew all aboutsnow, and were not frightened by this storm. The difficulties which itpresented to their minds actually raised their spirits, and from thegrim and quiet beings of the last evening they became the same cheerful,dauntless, ready women that I had known before.

  "Upon my word," exclaimed Mrs. Aleshine, as she clapped her face to awindow of the coach, "if this isn't a
reg'lar old-fashioned snow-storm!I've shoveled my own way through many a one like it to git to the barnto do my milkin' afore the men-folks had begun makin' paths, and I feeljus' like as though I could do it ag'in."

  "Now, Barb'ry Aleshine," said Mrs. Lecks, "if you're thinkin' ofshovelin' your way from this place to where your cows is, you'd betterstep right out and get at it, and I really do think that if you feltthey were sufferin' for want of milkin' you'd make a start."

  "I don't say," answered Mrs. Aleshine, with an illuminating grin, "thatif the case was that way I mightn't have the hankerin', though not thecapableness; but I don't know that there's any place to shovel our wayto, jus' now."

  Mrs. Lecks and I thought differently. Across the road, under the greattrees, the ground was comparatively free from snow, and in some places,owing to the heavy evergreen foliage, it was entirely bare. It was verydesirable that we should get to one of these spots and build a fire,for, though we had been well wrapped up, we all felt numbed and cold. Inthe boot at the back of the coach I knew that there was an ax, and Ithought I might possibly find there a shovel. I opened the coach door,and saw that the snow was already above the lower step. By standing onthe spokes of the back wheel I could easily get at the boot, and I soonpulled out the ax, but found no shovel. But this did not deter me. Imade my way to the front wheel, and climbed up to the driver's box,where I knocked off one of the thin planks of the foot-board, and this,with the ax, I shaped into a rude shovel, with a handle rather too wide,but serviceable. With this I went vigorously to work, and soon had madea pathway across the road. Here I chopped off some low dead branches,picked up others, and soon had a crackling fire, around which my threecompanions gathered with delight.

  A strong wind was now blowing, and the snow began to form into heavydrifts. The fire was very cheery and pleasant, but the wind was cutting,and we soon returned to the shelter of the coach, where we had ourbreakfast. This was not altogether a cold meal, for Mrs. Aleshine hadprovided a little tea-kettle, and, with some snow-water which I broughtin boiling from the fire in the woods, we had all the hot and comfortingtea we wanted.

  We passed the morning waiting and looking out, and wondering what sortof conveyance would be sent for us. It was generally agreed that nothingon wheels could now be got over the road, and that we must be taken awayin a sleigh.

  "I like sleigh-ridin'," said Mrs. Aleshine, "if you're well wrapped up,with good hosses, and a hot brick for your feet; but I must say I don'tknow but what I'm goin' to be a little skeery goin' down these longhills. If we git fairly slidin', hosses, sleigh, and all together,there's no knowin' where we'll fetch up."

  "I SOON HAD A CRACKLING FIRE."]

  "There's one comfort, Barb'ry," remarked Mrs. Lecks, "and that is thatwhen we do fetch up it'll be at the bottom of the hills, and not at thetop; and as the bottom is what we want to get to, we oughtn't tocomplain."

  "That depends a good deal whether we come down hind part foremost, orfore part front. But nobody's complainin' so fur, 'specially as thesleigh isn't here."

  I joined in the outlooking and the conjectures, but I could not keep upthe cheerful courage which animated my companions; for not only were thetwo elder women bright and cheery, but Ruth seemed to be animated andencouraged by their example, and showed herself as brave and contentedas either of them. She was convinced that her father must have reachedthe railroad-station before it began to snow, and therefore she wastroubled by no fears for his safety. But my mind was filled with manyfears.

  The snow was still coming down thick and fast, and the wind was pilingit into great drifts, one of which was forming between the coach and alow embankment on that side of the road near which it stood.

  About every half-hour I took my shovel and cleared out the path acrossthe road from the other side of the coach to the woods. Several timesafter doing this I made my way among the trees, where the snow did notimpede my progress, to points from which I had a view some distance downthe mountain; and I could plainly see that there were several placeswhere the road was blocked up by huge snow-drifts. It would be a slow,laborious, and difficult undertaking for any relief-party to come to usfrom the station; and who was there at that place to come? This was thequestion which most troubled me. The settlement at the station wasprobably a very small one, and that there should be found at that placea sleigh or a sled with enough men to form a party sufficiently strongto open a road up the mountain-side was scarcely to be expected. Men andvehicles might be obtained at some point farther along the railroad, butaction of this kind would require time, and it was not unlikely that therailroad itself was blocked up with snow. I could form no ideasatisfactory to myself of any plan by which relief could come to us thatday. Even the advent of a messenger on horseback was not to be expected.Such an adventurer would be lost in the storm and among the drifts. Onthe morrow relief might come, but I did not like to think too much aboutthe morrow; and of any of my thoughts and fears I said nothing to mycompanions.

  At intervals, after I had freshly cleared out the pathway, the threewomen, well bundled up, ran across the road to the fire under the trees.This was the only way in which they could keep themselves warm, for thecoach, although it protected us from the storm, was a very cold place tosit in. But the wind and the snow which frequently drove in under thetrees made it impossible to stay very long by the fire, and the frequentpassages to and from the coach were attended with much exposure andwetting of feet. I therefore determined that some better way must bedevised for keeping ourselves warm; and, shortly after our noonday meal,I thought of a plan, and immediately set to work to carry it out.

  The drift between the coach and the embankment had now risen higher thanthe top of the vehicle, against one side of which it was tightly packed.I dug a path around the back of the coach, and then began to tunnel intothe huge bank of snow. In about an hour I had made an excavation nearlyhigh enough for me to stand in, and close to the stage door on thatside; and I cleared away the snow so that this door could open into thecavern I had formed. At the end opposite the entrance of my cave, Iworked a hole upward until I reached the outer air. This hole was, abouta foot in diameter, and for some time the light, unpacked snow fromabove kept falling and filling it up; but I managed, by packing andbeating the sides with my shovel, to get the whole into a condition inwhich it would retain the form of a rude chimney.

  Now I hurried to bring wood and twigs, and having made a hearth of greensticks, which I cut with my ax, I built a fire in this snowy fireplace.Mrs. Lecks, Mrs. Aleshine, and Ruth had been watching my proceedingswith great interest; and when the fire began to burn, and the smoke togo out of my chimney, the coach door was opened, and the genial heatgradually pervaded the vehicle.

  "Upon my word," exclaimed Mrs. Aleshine, "if that isn't one of thebrightest ideas I ever heard of! A fire in the middle of a snowbank,with a man there attendin' to it, an' a chimney! 'T isn't every day thatyou can see a thing like that!"

  "I should hope not," remarked Mrs. Lecks, "for if the snow drifted thisway every day, I'd be ready to give up the seein' business out and out!But I think, Mr. Craig, you ought to pass that shovel in to us so thatwe can dig you out when the fire begins to melt your little house and itall caves in on you."

  "You can have the shovel," said I, "but I don't believe this snowbankwill cave in on me. Of course the heat will melt the snow, but I thinkit will dissolve gradually, so that the caving in, if there is any,won't be of much account, and then we shall have a big open space herein which we can keep up our fire."

  "Oh, dear!" exclaimed Ruth, "you talk as if you expected to stay hereever so long, and we certainly can't do that. We should starve to death,for one thing."

  "Don't be afraid of that," said Mrs. Aleshine. "There's plenty ofvictuals to last till the people come for us. When I pack baskets fortravelin' or picnickin', I don't do no scrimpin'. An' we've got to keepup a fire, you know, for it wouldn't be pleasant for those men, whenthey've cut a way up the mountain to git at us, to find us all frozestiff."

&n
bsp; Mrs. Lecks smiled. "You're awful tender of the feelin's of other people,Barb'ry," she said, "and a heart as warm as yourn ought to keep fromfreezin'."

  "Which it has done, so far," said Mrs. Aleshine, complacently.

  As I had expected, the water soon began to drip from the top and thesides of my cavern, and the chimney rapidly enlarged its dimensions. Imade a passage for the melted snow to run off into a hollow, back of thecoach; and as I kept up a good strong fire, the drops of water andoccasional pieces of snow which fell into it were not able to extinguishit. The cavern enlarged rapidly, and in a little more than an hour theroof became so thin that while I was outside collecting wood it fell inand extinguished the fire. This accident, however, interrupted myoperations but for a short time. I cleared away the snow at the bottomof the excavation, and rebuilt my fire on the bare ground. The high snowwalls on three sides of it protected it from the wind, so that there wasno danger of the flames being blown against the stage-coach, while thelarge open space above allowed a free vent for the smoke.

  About the middle of the afternoon, to the great delight of us all, itstopped snowing, and when I had freshly shoveled out the path acrossthe road, my companions gladly embraced the opportunity of walking overto the comparatively protected ground under the trees and givingthemselves a little exercise. During their absence I was busily engagedin arranging the fire, when I heard a low crunching sound on one side ofme, and, turning my head, I saw in the wall of my excavation opposite tothe stage-coach, and at a distance of four or five feet from the ground,an irregular hole in the snow, about a foot in diameter, from whichprotruded the head of a man. This head was wrapped, with the exceptionof the face, in a brown woolen comforter. The features were those of aman of about fifty, a little sallow and thin, without beard, whiskers,or mustache, although the cheeks and chin were darkened with a recentgrowth.

  The astounding apparition of this head projecting itself from the snowwall of my cabin utterly paralyzed me, so that I neither moved norspoke, but remained crouching by the fire, my eyes fixed upon the head.It smiled a little, and then spoke.

  "Could you lend me a small iron pot?" it said.

  I rose to my feet, almost ready to run away. Was this a dream? Or was itpossible that there was a race of beings who inhabited snowbanks?

  The face smiled again very pleasantly. "Do not be frightened," it said."I saw you were startled, and spoke first of a familiar pot in order toreassure you."

  "Who, in the name of Heaven, are you?" I gasped.

  "I am only a traveler, sir," said the head, "who has met with anaccident similar, I imagine, to that which has befallen you. But Icannot further converse with you in this position. Lying thus on mybreast in a tunnel of snow will injuriously chill me. Could youconveniently lend me an iron pot?"

  "'COULD YOU LEND ME A SMALL IRON POT?'"]

  I was now convinced that this was an ordinary human being, and mycourage and senses returned to me; but my astonishment remainedboundless. "Before we talk of pots," I said, "I must know who you are,and how you got into that snowbank."

  "I do not believe," said my visitor, "that I can get down, headforemost, to your level. I will therefore retire to my place of refuge,and perhaps we can communicate with each other through this aperture."

  "Can I get through to your place of refuge?" I asked.

  "Certainly," was the answer. "You are young and active, and the descentwill not be so deep on my side. But I will first retire, and will thenproject toward you this sheepskin rug, which, if kept under you as youmove forward, will protect your breast and arms from direct contact withthe snow."

  It was difficult to scramble up into the hole, but I succeeded in doingit, and found awaiting me the sheepskin rug, which, by the aid of anumbrella, the man had pushed toward me for my use. I was in a horizontaltunnel barely large enough for the passage of my body, and about sixfeet in length. When I had worked my way through this, and had put myhead out of the other end, I looked into a small wooden shed, into whichlight entered only through a pane of glass set in a rude door oppositeto me. I immediately perceived that the whole place was filled with theodor of spirituous liquors. The man stood awaiting me, and by hisassistance I descended to the floor. As I did so I heard somethingwhich sounded like a titter, and looking around I saw in a corner abundle of clothes and traveling-rugs, near the top of which appeared apair of eyes. Turning again, I could discern in another corner a secondbundle, similar to, but somewhat larger than, the other.

  "These ladies are traveling with me," said the man, who was now wrappingabout him a large cloak, and who appeared to be of a tall though ratherslender figure. His manner and voice were those of a gentleman,extremely courteous and considerate. "As I am sure you are curious--andthis I regard as quite natural, sir--to know why we are here, I will atonce proceed to inform you. We started yesterday in a carriage for therailway-station, which is, I believe, some miles beyond this point.There were two roads from the last place at which we stopped, and wechose the one which ran along a valley, and which we supposed would bethe pleasanter of the two. We there engaged a pair of horses which didnot prove very serviceable animals, and, at a point about a hundredyards from where we now are, one of them gave out entirely. The driverdeclared that the only thing to be done was to turn loose the disabledhorse, which would be certain, in time, to find his way back to hisstable, and for him to proceed on the other animal to the station towhich we were going, where he would procure some fresh horses and returnas speedily as possible. To this plan we were obliged to consent, asthere was no alternative. He told us that if we did not care to remainin the carriage, there was a shed by the side of the road, a littlefarther on, which was erected for the accommodation of men who aresometimes here in charge of relays of horses. After assuring us that hewould not be absent more than three hours, he rode away, and we have notseen him since.

  "Soon after he left us I came to this shed, and finding it tight andcomparatively comfortable, I concluded it would give us relief from oursomewhat cramped position in the carriage, and so conducted the ladieshere. As night drew on it became very cold, and I determined to make afire, a proceeding which, of course, would have been impossible in avehicle. Fortunately I had with me, at the back of the carriage, a caseof California brandy. By the aid of a stone I knocked the top off thiscase, and brought hither several of the bottles. I found in the shed anold tin pan, which I filled with the straw coverings of the bottles, andon this I poured brandy, which, being ignited, produced a fire withoutsmoke, but which, as we gathered around it, gave out considerable heat."

  As the speaker thus referred to his fuel, I understood the reason of thestrong odor of spirits which filled the shed, and I experienced acertain relief in my mind.

  The gentleman continued: "At first I attributed the delay of thedriver's return to those ordinary hindrances which so frequently occurin rural and out-of-the-way places; but after a time I could not imagineany reasonable cause for his delay. As it began to grow dark I broughthere our provision-baskets, and we partook of a slight repast. I thenmade the ladies as comfortable as possible, and awaited with muchanxiety the return of the driver.

  "After a time it began to snow, and feeling that the storm mightinterrupt communication with the carriage, I brought hither, making manytrips for the purpose, the rest of the brandy, our wraps and rugs, andthe cushions of the carriage. I did not believe that we should be lefthere all night, but thought it prudent to take all precautions, and toprepare for remaining in a place where we could have a fire. The morningshowed me that I had acted wisely. As you know, sir, I found the road ineach direction completely blocked up by snow, and I have since beenunable to visit the carriage."

  "Have you not all suffered from cold?" I inquired. "Have you foodenough?"

  "I will not say," replied the gentleman, "that in addition to ouranxiety we have not suffered somewhat from cold, but for the greaterpart of this day I have adopted a plan which has resulted inconsiderable comfort to my companions. I have wrapped them up ve
ryclosely and warmly, and they hold in each hand a hard-boiled egg. Ithought it better to keep these for purposes of warmth than to eat them.About every half-hour I reboil the eggs in a little traveling tea-potwhich we have. They retain their warmth for a considerable period, andthis warmth in a moderate degree is communicated through the hands tothe entire person."

  As he said this a low laugh again burst forth from the bundle in onecorner of the room, and I could not help smiling at this odd way ofkeeping warm. I looked toward the jocose bundle, and remarked that theeggs must be pretty hard by this time.

  "These ladies," said the gentleman, "are not accustomed to the coldatmosphere of this region, and I have therefore forbidden them to talk,hoping thus to prevent injury from the inhalation of frosty air. So farwe have not suffered, and we still have some food left. About noon Inoticed smoke floating over this shed, and I forced open the door andmade my way for some little distance outside, hoping to discover whenceit came. I then heard voices on the other side of the enormoussnow-drift behind us; but I could see no possible way of getting overthe drift. Feeling that I must, without fail, open communication withany human beings who might be near us, I attempted to shout; but thecold had so affected my voice that I could not do so. I thereupon set mywits to work. At the back of this shed is a small window closed by awooden shutter. I opened this shutter, and found outside a wall of snowpacked closely against it. The snow was not very hard, and I believedthat it would not be difficult to tunnel a way through it to the placewhere the voices seemed to be. I immediately set to work, for I fearedthat if we were obliged to remain here another night without assistancewe should be compelled to-morrow morning to eat those four hard-boiledeggs which the ladies are holding, and which, very shortly, I must boilagain."

  "How did you manage to cut through the snow?" I asked. "Had you ashovel?"

  "Oh, no," replied the other. "I used the tin pan. I found it answeredvery well as a scoop. Each time that I filled it I threw the contentsout of our door."

  "It must have been slow and difficult work," I said.

  "Indeed it was," he replied. "The labor was arduous, and occupied meseveral hours. But when I saw a respectable man at a fire, and astage-coach near by, I felt rewarded for all my trouble. May I ask you,sir, how you came to be thus snow-bound?"

  I then briefly related the circumstances of our mishap, and had scarcelyfinished when a shrill sound came through the tunnel into the shed. Itwas the voice of Mrs. Aleshine.

  "Hello!" she screamed, "are you in there? An' you don't mean to tell methere are other people in that hole?"

  Feeling quite certain that my wife and her companions were in a state ofmental agitation on the other side of the drift, I called back that Iwould be with them in a moment, and then explained to the gentleman whyI could not remain with him longer. "But before I go," I said, "is thereanything I can do for you? Do you really want an iron pot?"

  "The food that remains to us," he answered, "is fragmentary and ratherdistasteful to the ladies, and I thought if I could make a little stewof it, it might prove more acceptable to them. But do not let me detainyou another instant from your friends, and I advise you to go throughthat tunnel feet foremost, for you might, otherwise, experiencedifficulties in getting out at the other end."

  I accepted his suggestion, and by his assistance and the help of therough window-frame, I got into the hole feet first, and soon ejectedmyself into the midst of my alarmed companions. When they heard where Ihad been, and what I had seen, they were naturally astounded.

  "Another party deserted at this very point!" exclaimed Ruth, who wasboth excitable and imaginative. "This looks like a conspiracy! Are we tobe robbed and murdered?"

  At these words Mrs. Aleshine sprang toward me. "Mr. Craig," sheexclaimed, "if it's robbers, don't lose a minute! Never let 'em getahead of you! Pull out your pistol and fire through the hole!"

  "Gracious me! Barb'ry Aleshine," said Mrs. Lecks, "you don't suppose therobbers is them poor unfortunates on the other side of the drift! And Imust say, Mrs. Craig, that if there was any such thing as a conspiracy,your father must have been in it, for it was him who landed us justhere. But of course none of us supposes nothin' of that kind, and thefirst thing we've got to think of is what we can do for them poorpeople."

  "They seem to have some food left, but not much," I said, "and I fearthey must be suffering from cold."

  "Couldn't we poke some wood to them through this hole?" said Mrs.Aleshine, whose combative feelings had changed to the deepestcompassion. "I should think they must be nearly froze, with nothin' towarm 'em but hard-b'iled eggs."

  I explained that there was no place in their shed where they could builda fire, and proposed that we should give them some hot tea and some ofour provisions.

  "That's so!" said Mrs. Aleshine. "Just shout in to them that if they'llshove them eggs through the hole, I'll bile 'em fur 'em as often as theywant 'em."

  "I've just got to say this," ejaculated Mrs. Lecks, as she and Mrs.Aleshine were busily placing a portion of our now very much reducedstock of provisions in the smallest of our baskets: "this is the firsttime in my life that I ever heard of people warmin' themselves up withhens' eggs and spirits, excep' when mixed up into egg-nog; and that theyresisted that temptation and contented themselves with plain honestheat, though very little of it, shows what kind of people they must be.And now, do you suppose we could slide this basket in without upsettin'the little kittle?"

  "WE WERE ABOUT TO SEND HIM A BASKET."]

  I called to the gentleman that we were about to send him a basket, andthen, by the aid of an umbrella, I gently pushed it through the snowtunnel to a point where he could reach it. Hearty thanks came back to usthrough the hole, and when the basket and kettle were returned, weprepared our own evening meal.

  "For the life of me," said Mrs. Lecks, as she sipped a cup of tea, "Ican't imagine, if there was a shed so near us, why we didn't know it."

  "That has been puzzling me," I replied; "but the other road, on whichthe shed is built, is probably lower than this one, so that the upperpart of the shed could not have projected far above the embankmentbetween the two roads, and if there were weeds and dead grasses on thebank, as there probably were, they would have prevented us from noticingthe top of a weather-worn shed."

  "Especially," said Mrs. Lecks, "as we wasn't lookin' for sheds, and, asfar as I know, we wasn't lookin' for anything on that side of the coach,for all my eyes was busy starin' about on the side we got in and out of,and down the road."

  "Which mine was too," added Mrs. Aleshine. "An' after it begun to snowwe couldn't see nothin' anyhow, partic'larly when everything was allcovered up."

  "Well," added Mrs. Lecks, in conclusion, "as we didn't see the shed,it's a comfort to think there was reasons for it, and that we are notborn fools."

  It was now growing dark, and but few further communications took placethrough the little tunnel.

  "Before we get ready to go to sleep," said Mrs. Aleshine, "for, havin'no candles, I guess we won't sit up late, hadn't we better rig up somekind of a little sled to put in that hole, with strings at both ends, sothat we kin send in mustard-plasters and peppermint to them poor peopleif they happen to be sick in the night?"

  This little project was not considered necessary, and after receivingassurances from the gentleman on the other side that he would be able tokeep his party warm until morning, we bade each other good night; and,after having replenished the fire, I got into the stage, where mycompanions had already established themselves in their corners. I sleptvery little, while I frequently went out to attend to the fire, and mymind was racked by the most serious apprehensions. Our food was nearlygone, and if relief did not come to us very soon I could see nothing buta slow death before us, and, so far as I could imagine, there was nomore reason to expect succor on the following day than there had been onthe one just passed. Where were the men to be found who could cut a roadto us through those miles of snow-drifts?

  Very little was said during the night by
my companions, but I am surethat they felt the seriousness of our situation, and that their slumberswere broken and unrefreshing. If there had been anything to do, Mrs.Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine would have been cheered up by the prospect ofdoing it; but we all felt that there was nothing we could do.