read that the spirits--seldom long
depressed--of one-and-twenty and fifteen rose at the sight. For we were
hungry as well as tired, and the cutlets and broiled ham which the good
people had managed to keep beautifully hot and fresh for us--possibly
they were so accustomed to the railway eccentricities that they had only
cooked them in time for our arrival by the later train, for we were
told afterwards that no one ever _did_ catch the express at Fexel
Junction,--the cutlets and ham, as I was saying, and the buttered toast,
and all the other good things, were _so_ good that we made an excellent
supper, and slept the sleep of two tired but perfectly healthy young
people till seven o'clock the next morning.

"We awoke refreshed and hopeful. But alas! when Mary pulled up the blind
what a sight met her eyes! snow--snow everywhere.

"'What _shall_ we do?' she said. 'We can never judge of the houses in
this weather. And how are we to get to them? Dear me! how unlucky!'

"'But it has left off, and it can't be very thick in these few hours,'
I said, 'If only it keeps off now, we could manage.'

"We dressed quickly, and had eaten our breakfast by half-past eight; for
at nine, by arrangement, the agent was to call for us to escort us on our
voyage of discovery. The weather gave promise of improving, a faint
wintry sunshine came timidly out, and there seemed no question of more
snow. When Mr. Turner, the agent, a respectable fatherly sort of man,
made his appearance, he altogether pooh-poohed the idea of the roads
being impassable; but he went on to say that, to his great regret, it was
perfectly impossible for him to accompany us. Mr. H----, Mr. Walter
H----, that is to say, the younger son of the owner of the Grange, the
larger of the two houses we were to see, had arrived unexpectedly, and
Mr. Turner was obliged to meet him about business.

"'I have managed the business about here for them since they left the
Grange, and Mr. Walter is only here for a day,' said the communicative
Mr. Turner. 'It is most unfortunate. But I have engaged a comfortable
carriage for you, Miss Berkeley, and a driver who knows the country
thoroughly, and is a very steady man. And, if you will allow me, I will
call in this evening to hear what you think of the houses--which you
prefer.' He seemed to be quite sure we should fix for one or other.

"'Thank you, that will do very well,' said Mary,--not in her heart, to
tell the truth, sorry that we were