The girl ran into the hall, but the outer door was heavy, and in her haste she was awkward getting it open. As it gave finally the rush of wind drove her inward. The steady rainfall of the day, freezing as it touched the ground, had changed to finely driven sleet. The steps glared with ice. But already the Major was at the gate, and through the dusk she could see his umbrella lowered against the wind as he turned and started up the street. She called after him impulsively, beseechingly, but realized the futility of it through the fierce rush of wind and sleet. John was just driving out the carriage-way from the stable. Indeterminate, she closed the door and turned back to the parlour. Harriet had sunk upon a chair, and in her eyes, looking far off, was a light, a smile, or was it tears? She sprang up and turned, her face one heavenly blush, as Alexina entered. Had she thought it would be he? "Gone? Oh, Alexina, I must--I have to tell him. Ring the bell. John must go for him. After what has happened I cannot stand it that the knowledge should all be mine." But she was already pulling the bell-cord herself, then turned to Alexina blushing and radiant. "I am thirty-eight years old, Alexina; I am not even young, and yet he cares for me." The bell had rung; both had heard the far-off sound of it, but no one answered, maid or man-servant. She rang again. "I had no time, the words would not come, I tried to tell him," she said pleadingly to Alexina, as if the girl were arraigning her, then suddenly dropped into the chair by the bell-cord, and with her face in her hands against its back went into violent weeping. Alexina stood hesitant. There are times for silence. She would go and find Katy. But she met her hurrying from the kitchen towards the parlour, the shawl over her head full of sleet and wet. She was panting and her eyes were large. Alexina was vaguely conscious of the cook, breathing excitement, somewhere back in the length of the hall, and behind her some trades-boy, his basket on his arm, his mouth gaping. "It's Major Rathbone," said Katy, panting; "John ran into him coming out the carriage gate. The horses slipped and he had his umbrella down and didn't see. I was coming from the grocery." "Oh," said Alexina; "Katy, oh--" Harriet had heard and was already in the hall and struggling with the outer door. "I can't--it won't--oh, Alexina, help me!" Katy had reached the door too, and put her hand on the knob. "They've already started to the infirmary with him, Miss Harriet, John and that young doctor across the street, before I came in. He told them to take him there himself. He was half up, holding to the fence, before John was off the box. 'Stop the doctor there getting in his buggy,' he said to John, 'and get me around to the infirmary.'" "And the doctor--what did he say?" demanded Alexina. "He said 'Good Lord, man!' and he swore just awful at John being so slow helping get him in the carriage."