Bitterly cold blew the wind from the bleak north; tearing through the moaning pine forest, that tossed and swayed before the tempest, gnawing Catherine's nose and fingers, and snatching up, as it were, handfuls of snow, and hurling them in a rage through the air. Poor Catherine was nearly frozen, yet she struggled bravely on through the drifting snow. Suddenly she caught sight of a quaint little cottage that she had never seen before, much as she had traveled this portion of the forest; but a more welcome sight still was the gleam of a cheery fire within, that illuminated the frost-covered panes with a ruddy glow. Catherine, stumbling, sliding, struggling through the drifts, reached the cottage at last, raised the latch, and entered a door-way so low that even she, small as she was, had to stoop her head in passing. "Shut the door!" shrieked a shrill voice, with startling abruptness; and, for the first time, Kate perceived a very little old man seated in a very large chair, and smoking a very long pipe. A great beard reached below his dangling feet and touched the floor. [Illustration: "A VERY LITTLE OLD MAN SEATED IN A VERY LARGE CHAIR."] "May I warm myself at your fire, kind gentleman?" said Kate, dropping a courtesy. The little old man grunted without looking at her. "May I warm myself at your fire, sir?" repeated Kate, in a louder voice, supposing he must be deaf. "I heard you!" growled the old dwarf, with sudden rage. "You don't suppose I'm deaf, do you? I said yes. You don't want to argue, do you?" Kate murmured her thanks, feeling much astonished and very uncomfortable at the old gentleman's conduct. Thus they sat in silence for a long while, the little old man smoking like a volcano. At length: "Are you hungry?" said he, abruptly. "Yes, sir," said Kate, bethinking herself of her bread. "So am I!" said the old man, shortly, at the same time resuming his smoking. Removing his pipe after another pause, "I haven't had anything to eat for one hundred years; I feel kind of empty," said he. "I should think so," thought Kate to herself; then, after regarding him in silence for a few minutes, she said, timidly, "I--I have a--a piece of bread in my basket, sir, if you would like to have it?" "Like to have it? You speak as though you had no sense. Of course, I should like to have it! Why didn't you offer it to me sooner?" Kate, in spite of her hunger, that had recommenced gnawing her, now that she was warm, handed him the piece of bread. The old man seized it ravenously, opened his mouth to an astonishing extent, bolted the large morsel as one does a pill, and then resumed his smoking as though nothing of any note had occurred. Kate regarded him with silent astonishment. "What are you doing out in this kind of weather?" said the old man, suddenly. "I came to gather pine-cones to sell in the town," said Kate.