The wind howled drearily in the chimney; all that was economic, grim, and cheerless in the room seemed to gather as flitting shadows around that central figure.

Suddenly she arose with such a quick rustling of her skirts that he lifted his eyes with a start; for she was standing immediately before him, her hands behind her, her handsome, audacious face bent smilingly forward, and her bold, brilliant eyes within a foot of his own.
"Now, Mr.Hays, do you want to know what this warning or special revelation of yours REALLY meant?
Well, it had nothing whatever to do with that man on the summit.No.The whole interest, gist, and meaning of it was simply this, that you should turn round and come straight back here and"-- she drew back and made him an exaggerated theatrical curtsey--"have the supreme pleasure of making MY acquaintance! That was all.

And now, as you've HAD IT, in five minutes I must be off.

You've offered me already your horse and sleigh to go to the summit.

I accept it and go! Good-by!" He knew nothing of a woman's coquettish humor; he knew still less of that mimic stage from which her present voice, gesture, and expression were borrowed; he had no knowledge of the burlesque emotions which that voice, gesture, and expression were supposed to portray, and finally and fatally he was unable to detect the feminine hysteric jar and discord that underlay it all.