content, for she was happy, and, in truth, the place was cheerier that
he was here.

"Cnut alone seemed downcast, but I knew not why; and then the snow came.
One morning we awoke and the farm was as white as the mountains. I said
to him, 'Now you are here for the winter,' and he laughed and said, 'No,
I will stay till the new-year. I have business then in England, and I
must go.' And I turned, and her face was like sunshine, for she knew
that none but Cnut and I had ever passed the Devil's Ledge in the snow,
and the other way by which I took the Doctor home was worse then, though
easier in the summer, only longer. But Cnut looked gloomy, at which I
chid him; but he was silent. And the autumn passed rapidly, so cheerful
was he, finding in the snow as much pleasure as in the sunshine, and
taking her out to slide and race on shoes till she would come in with
her cheeks like roses in summer, and her eyes like stars, and she made
it warm where she was.

"And one evening they came home. He was gayer than ever, and she more
beautiful, but silenter than her wont. She looked like her mother the
evening I asked her to be my wife. I could not take my eyes from her.
That night Cnut was a caged wolf. At last he asked me to come out, and
then he told me that he had seen Harold kiss her and had heard him tell
her that he loved her, and she had not driven him away. My heart was
wrung for Cnut, for I loved him, and he wept like a child. I tried to
comfort him, but it was useless, and the next day he went away for a
time. I was glad to have him go, for I grieved for him, and I thought
she would miss him and be glad when he came again, and though the snow
was bad on the mountain he was sure as a wolf. He bade us good-by and
left with his eyes looking like a hurt dog's. I thought she would have
wept to have him go, but she did not. She gave him her hand and turned
back to Harold, and smiled to him when he smiled. It was the first time
in all her life that I had not been glad to have her smile, and I was
sorry Harold had stayed, and I watched Cnut climb the mountain like a
dark speck against the snow till he disappeared. She was so happy and
beautiful that I could not long be out with her, though I grieved for
Cnut, and when she came to me and told me one night of her great love
for Harold I forgot my own regret in her joy, and I said nothing to
Harold, because she told me he said that in his country it was not usual
for the father to be