She is used to being out in all weathers," persisted Eugene, gently.
"She can't go.

Pull her out of a warm bed such a night as this! If you try to take that poor child out to-night I'll stand in my spare-chamber door, and you'll have to walk over me to do it--and my son won't see his mother hurt, I guess!" Jim Otis stepped closer to the sleigh and spoke to Eugene Hautville in a low voice.
"Well," said Eugene, slowly, "maybe you're right, Otis.

I don't know what father will say, but if she was as used up as you tell for, I don't know as 'tis safe.

It is an awful night." "I guess it ain't safe, and she ain't going," maintained Mrs.Otis from the door-step.
Then Eugene Hautville bent well out of his sleigh and asked a question in the other man's ear.
"Yes, she did," replied Jim Otis.
"The poor girl is crazy over it," said Eugene.

He and Jim talked for a few moments, but Mrs.Otis, straining her ears on the door-step, could not hear.
Suddenly Jim said, quite distinctly, "She wanted to know if I saw him give her the knife." There was a pause; then Eugene Hautville asked, in a voice with which he might have addressed a judge of his life and death, "Did you ?" "No," said Jim Otis..