The young man beside her found her simply and icily civil, and that the words he must say to her were most difficult to frame; but well down the mountain-side, the rest talking gayly, he felt he must seize his chance. With his free hand he felt for hers under the buffalo robe, and found it. Frances did not withdraw it, nor was there a thrill of life or love in its touch. He was manly enough to be quite open as to what he had to say. "I am going to Richmond to-morrow." The fingers quivered slightly; from the lips came no sound. "Do you know how near Christmas it is?" he questioned. Montague, behind him, caught the tone and clenched his fists, even while he was answering Elizabeth Martin's raillery. "I am going to search the shops." There was still no answer. "I am going to see what the jewellers have--" He left her to find out for herself what she had already divined. When she drove with her guests to the station next morning she found him waiting. He took the same train. XVI When Frances drove from the station, for the first time in all her healthy young life she found herself dreading the day which stretched before her. She tied Starlight outside the quadrangle and walked up the corridor slowly. Every window of her house was opened wide. Susan, beturbanned, met her at the door. "Honey," she said, "don't yuh want to go in yo' room dis damp day an' res' yo'self?" Frances gave a little shiver at the idea of being shut in her room all the morning. Her expression was answer sufficient. "Den yuh bettah dribe in town an' git sumpin' to eat; we's cleaned clar out." "What do you want?" asked Frances, glad of the errand. "Want! Yuh jes' step in hyar one minute." The old woman pointed with dramatic hand towards the empty shelves, and began a list of all the eatables she could think of. "We needs 'em fur shuah!" she ended. "Ise gwine begin my Christmas cake termorrer; Ise jes' been waiting to git de place clar, an' I tell yuh fer a fac' I wants dis house all to myself dis one mornin'. Ise tiahed o' dried-up flowers an' empty boxes an'--an'--sich! Honey," she wheedled, "if yuh gits through early, yuh might go visitin'."