A little later he came back to Lottie, and said: "Miss Marsden, I scarcely dare tell you the truth. The tongue of the sleigh and some of the most important parts of the harness are broken. Besides, I have been up the road a short distance, and there are drifts that are up to the horses' necks. I fear we can go no farther. O God!" he added in agony, "what can I do for you? The idea of your perishing with cold in this horrible place to-night!" Lottie laid her hand upon his arm, and said earnestly; "Mr. Hemstead, please let there be no more such talk. It's no worse for me than for you. Besides, if we will trust God and use our wits, there is no need of any one's perishing. If we were out of the wind it would not be so very cold. Why, there is enough warmth in the big bodies of those horses to keep us from freezing, if it comes to the worst." "There!" he exclaimed, "you have given me hope and courage, and in a sentence. The coachman was captain on my former occasion of danger, and you shall be captain now. You have the clearest and best head of the party. I am at your service." "Will you do as I bid you?" "Yes" "Take care of yourself somewhat, then." "I can best do that by taking care of you." "You can do nothing pleasing to me that will bring harm to yourself," she said. "We must get out of the wind, and if nothing better offers, must bury ourselves in the snow be-side the horses. I remember reading of such things. The sleigh robes and the warmth of their bodies would keep us from freezing; I'm not so very cold." Addie and Bel were crying bitterly, while De Forrest was groaning and cursing from where he stood, behind the sleigh. "Come," he shouted, "what's to be done?" "I will go straight up the bank. I may find a ledge, or some rocks, under which we may cower," said Hemstead. "Don't go far," said Lottie, eagerly. "I should, indeed, lose hope, if you became separated from us." He soon returned with the joyful news that a little way up the bank was a high ledge, where they would be completely sheltered from the wind. Soon he had them all under it, and the respite from the driving gale was welcomed by none more than by Lottie, who, in spite of her courage and sustaining excitement, was beginning to suffer greatly. De Forrest, being a smoker, had matches; but, in his impatience to light a fire, destroyed most of them. "Here, Julian, give them to me," said Lottie, most decisively. Then, after all the dry material which could be collected, by groping round in the dark, was gathered in the most sheltered nook, she took from her pocket a delicate lace handkerchief, and, by means of that, lighted the sticks and leaves. Soon they were warming their numb hands and chilled bodies beside a cheerful blaze.