the Mistress continued her reading, "I am going to ask both
of you not to say a single word to precious Cyril about our coming home
so soon. We want to surprise him. Oh, to think what his lovely face
will be like, when he sees us walking in!"

"And to think what MY lovely face will be like, when I see him walking
out!" exulted the Master. "Laddie, come over here. We've got the
gorgeousest news ever! Come over and be glad!"

Lad, at the summons, came trotting out of his cave, and across the
room. Like every good dog who has been much talked to, he was as adept
as any dead-beat in reading the varying shades of the human voice. The
voices and faces alike of his two adored deities told him something
wonderful had happened. And, as ever, he rejoiced in their gladness.
Lifting his magnificent head, he broke into a salvo of trumpeting
barks; the oddly triumphant form of racket he reserved for great
moments.

"What's Laddie doing?" asked Cyril, from the threshold. "He sounds as
if he was going mad or something."

"He's happy," answered the Mistress.

"Why's he happy?" queried the child.

"Because his Master and I are happy," patiently returned the Mistress.

"Why are YOU happy?" insisted Cyril.

"Because today is Thursday," put in the Master. "And that means
tomorrow will be Friday."

"And on Friday," added the Mistress, "there's going to be a beautiful
surprise for you, Cyril. We can't tell you what it is, but--"

"Why can't you tell me?" urged the child. "Aw, go ahead and tell me! I
think you might."

The Master had gone over to the nearest window; and was staring out
into the gray-black dusk. Mid-winter gripped the dead world; and the
twilight air was deathly chill. The tall naked treetops stood gaunt and
wraithlike against a leaden sky.

To the north, the darkness was deepest. Evil little puffs of gale
stirred the powdery snow into myriads of tiny dancing white devils. It
had been a fearful winter, thus far; colder than for a score of years;
so cold that many a wild woodland creature, which usually kept far back
in the mountains, had ventured down nearer to civilization for forage
and warmth.

Deer tracks a-plenty had been seen, close up to the gates of the Place.
And, two days ago, in the forest, half a mile away, the Master had come
upon the half-human footprints of a young bear. Starvation stalked
abroad, yonder in the white hills. And need for provender had begun to
wax stronger among the folk of the w