"Oh, no," she said, moving nearer to the fireplace. "I am chilly; I would rather stay here. Suppose you push a couple of those large rocking chairs up this way?" "I can make you much more comfortable on the couch," he said, his tone indicating annoyance. "That fire will not keep you warm, there is nothing left of it but charred old stumps. Do let me snug you up among the cushions." He essayed to pass an arm about her as he spoke, but she drew away from him with a wan smile as she said: "I would rather stay here; it seems less lonely to be near a woman. Why did we trouble about rooms? I think I would just as soon stay where I am?" "Standing?" he asked in a tone which to the woman on the couch sounded sullen. "No," answered the girl with that pitiful attempt at a smile, "I would be willing to sit if you would bring up chairs. There cannot be much longer to wait, I should think. What time did you say we could get a train?" When he told her, the response was almost a wail. "Oh, Rufus! That was not what you said before? Why, that is not until another day!" The woman on the couch held herself motionless by a strong effort of will. This was not the tone of a happy wife! She was certain now that something was wrong besides a few hours of delay. This was more like the outbreak of a woman half afraid of the man who was supposed to be caring for her. "It is beastly luck," the man said again. "Something is always the matter on this confounded branch road! If you hadn't been staying in such an out of the way place, we should have been saved all this. Still, I don't understand why we should make it any more uncomfortable than it is. You ought to be resting quietly, instead—" Her voice interrupted him, louder than it had been before. "I cannot rest: I cannot! I can only think of my mother's utter dismay and—and terror when she hears—" "H-sh!" The man's sibilant whisper was sudden and fierce! No wonder the girl started, and cried out in fright: "Oh, what is it!" He bent over her and spoke lower. "It is nothing at all, my dear, except that you are utterly tired out and your nerves are on edge. But you must be careful what you say. That confounded eavesdropper has planted herself as close to us as she could, and may get the idea from your words that I am a fiend of some kind. Thank goodness, though, she has gone to sleep, at last! I must say they are taking an unaccountable time to get that room ready." "That room!" repeated the still frightened voice. "There are two rooms, of course?" "Of course," he repeated hastily, "but I could wait for mine, you know." "I don't like it," the girl said, quite as if she had not heard him, "I don't like anything about it! I wish—Oh, Rufus, can't we go on to-night? Or go somewhere and talk things over and make other plans. I don't want any room!" He spoke kindly but with great firmness.