In the next room he heard Grizzie moving, as if, like himself, getting up with all speed.

Down to the kitchen he ran, in haste to get out and reach the great door.

But when he opened the kitchen door, a strange sight met his eyes, and for a moment arrested him.
The night was dark as pitch, for, though the snow had ceased to fall, great clouds of it yet filled the vault of the sky, and behind them was no moon from which any smallest glimmer might come soaking through.

But, on the opposite side of the court, the heap of snow familiar to his eyes was shining with an unknown, a faint, phosphorescent radiance.

The whole heap was illuminated, and was plainly visible: but the strangest thing was, that the core of the light had a vague SHADOWY resemblance--if one may use the word of a shape of LIGHT--to the form of a man.