"Who do you s'pose 'tis this time of night ?" "Hullo!" shouted a man's voice, hoarsely, and Jim shouted "Hullo!" in response, and started towards the door.
"Ask who's there before you open the door," said the mother, anxiously.

She stood listening a moment after Jim had gone; then she caught her shawl from a peg, put it over her head, and followed him--she was so afraid some harm would come to her son.
The outer door was open, and before it was drawn up a sleigh and a great, high-shouldered, snorting and pawing horse.

In the sleigh was a man muffled in furs like an Eskimo, leaning out and questioning Jim.
"When did she come ?" asked the man.
"About five o'clock," answered Jim.
Then Mrs.Otis understood that they were talking about the girl in her spare-chamber, and she interposed, standing in the doorway.

"She was just about tuckered out, what with the cold and that awful tramp," said she.

"She most ought to have rode over." Mrs.Otis's voice was soft and conciliatory.
"We didn't know she was coming," replied the man in the sleigh, courteously, "or we should not have let her walk so far on such a day." "Be you her brother ?" questioned Mrs.Otis.
"Yes.