ncing and flickering on the snow outside, and making a cheerful patch
of ruddy light in the darkness, which would guide the mother's steps for
her home-coming. Through the darkness the howling of the wolves seemed
nearer.

"'Ah, they are coming closer,' said Marcelle, starting upright. 'Can you
see them, Leontine? I am afraid.'

"Leontine was leaning close to the glass, pressing her face against it.

"'Yes, I see shadows,' she said; 'they are coming to the light,
Marcelle. No! it is only one shadow, after all; we must not frighten
each other.'

"She turned with a faint smile to Marcelle's shuddering face, and tried
to draw the curtains with her trembling hands, but the shadow on the
snow was very near.

"'Do not be afraid, my dear,' she said, kneeling down upon the hearth
again, and drawing Marcelle's cold hands into her own strong ones; 'be
brave; we are quite safe, you know; the door is strong, and God is so
good, Marcelle.'

"But Marcelle was sobbing.

"Her sobbing woke the baby, and it cried--little moaning cries that
fretted Leontine, and that brought the dark shadow nearer to the door.

"Leontine rocked the baby, but could not hush its wailing cries; she
knelt beside the cradle, singing her strange, weird songs in a voice
that never trembled, and all the time that foolish Marcelle was sobbing
and trembling at her feet.

"'Hush, for God's sake!' said Leontine at last, lifting her clear eyes,
and trying to still the faltering of her voice. 'You frighten me,
Marcelle, and you keep baby fretful. Mother will soon be home, and the
night is not long, and we are quite safe, thank God.'

"But the words were still in her mouth when she heard a heavy shuffling
in the snow outside, and a terrible howl that seemed to shake the little
cottage to its foundations. Then--ah! think of it, madame--the
door--this door against which you lean--was burst open, and out of the
darkness a great wolf came bounding in, and paused for a minute on the
threshold.

"Leontine was upright in an instant, standing before the cradle. Even
Marcelle rose also, and stood shrieking on the hearth.

"But the great, lean, hungry wolf came slinking on--and it passed
Leontine, and took the little baby from the cradle.

"Leontine had stood as if rooted to the spot, with her burning eyes
fascinated by the awful sight; but now she strode to the table, and took
a knife. And yet she dared not throw it, because of the baby, madame.

"They seemed s