a tremendous shower of roses, and the dream went out like a candle. Aladdin opened his eyes and stroked his chin. He was troubled about the dream. The senator had spoken to him of “others.” Could Peter Manners possibly be there? Was that the especial demolishment that fate held in store for him? He was very wide awake now. At times, owing to the opaqueness of the storm, it was impossible to see out of the car window. But there were moments when a sudden rush of wind blew a path for the eye, and by such occasional pictures--little long of the instantaneous--one could follow the progress of the blizzard. Aladdin saw a huddle of sheep big with snow; then a man getting into a house by the window; an ancient apple-tree with a huge limb torn off; two telegraph poles that leaned toward each other, like one man fixing another’s cravat; and he caught glimpses of wires broken, loosened, snarled, and fuzzy with snow. Then the train crawled over a remembered trestle, and Aladdin knew that he was within four miles of his station, and within three of the St. Johns’ house by the best of short cuts across country. He looked precisely in its direction, and kissed his fingers to Margaret, and wondered what she was doing. Then there was a rumbling, jumping jar, and the train stopped. Minute after minute went by. Aladdin waited impatiently for the train to start. The conductor passed hurriedly through. “What’s up?” called Aladdin after him. “Up!” cried the conductor. “We’re off the track.” “Can’t we go on to-night?” “Nup!” The conductor passed out of the car and banged the door. “Got to sit here all night!” said Aladdin. “Not much! Get up, Troubles! If you don’t think I know the way about here, you can stay by the stove. I’m going to walk.” Aladdin and Troubles rose, buttoned their coat, left the car, and set out in the direction of the St. Johns’. Aladdin’s watch at starting read five o’clock. “Our luggage is all checked, Troubles,” he said, “and all we’ve got to face is the idea of walking three miles through very disagreeable weather, over a broad path that we know like the palm of our hand (which we don’t know as well as we might), arriving late, wet to the skin, and without a change of clothes. On the other hand, we shall deserve a long drink and much sympathy. As for you, Troubles, you’re the best company I know, and all is well.” The first scarlet huntsman blew into his horn, “Lirala, Lovely Morning, I’m glad I was born.” XVI At first the way, lying through waist-high fir scrub, was pretty bad underfoot, but beyond was a stretch of fine timber, where the trees had done much to arrest the snow, and the going was not so severe. Aladdin calculated that he should make the distance in an hour and a half; and when the wood ended, he looked at his watch and found that the first mile, together with only twenty-five minutes, was behind him.