then winter began to set in, and she could find no valid reason for
making the move before it should be gone again, Mrs. Wishart's
intention being unmistakeable to keep them until spring. But how was
she going to hold out until spring? Lois felt herself very
uncomfortable. She could not possibly avoid seeing Mr. Dillwyn
constantly; she could not always help talking to him, for sometimes he
would make her talk; and she was very much afraid that she liked to
talk to him. All the while she was obliged to see how much attention he
was paying to Madge, and it was no secret how well Madge liked it; and
Lois was afraid to look at her own reasons for disliking it. Was it
merely because Mr. Dillwyn was a man of the world, and she did not want
her sister to get entangled with him? her sister, who had made no
promise to her grandmother, and who was only bound, and perhaps would
not be bound, by Bible commands? Lois had never opened her Bible to
study the point, since that evening when Mr. Dillwyn had interrupted
her. She was ashamed to do it. The question ought to have no interest
for her.

So days went by, and weeks, and the year was near at an end, when the
first snow came. It had held off wonderfully, people said; and now when
it came it came in earnest. It snowed all night and all day; and slowly
then the clouds thinned and parted and cleared away, and the westering
sun broke out upon a brilliant world.

Lois sat at her window, looking out at it, and chiding herself that it
made her feel sober. Or else, by contrast, it let her know how sober
she was. The spectacle was wholly joy-inspiring, and so she had been
wont to find it. Snow lying unbroken on all the ground, in one white,
fair glitter; snow lying piled up on the branches and twigs of trees,
doubling them with white coral; snow in ridges and banks on the
opposite shore of the river; and between, the rolling waters. Madge
burst in.

"Isn't it glorious?" said Lois. "Come here and see how black the river
is rolling between its white banks."

"Black? I didn't know anything was black," said Madge. "Here is Mr.
Dillwyn, come to take me sleigh-riding. Just think, Lois!--a sleigh
ride in the Park!--O, I'm so glad I have got my hood done!"

Lois slowly turned her head round. "Sleigh-riding?" she said. "Are you
going sleigh-riding, and with Mr. Dillwyn?"

"Yes indeed, why not?" said Madge, bustling about with great activity.
"I'd rather go with him than with anybody else,