"It is a wild night, my child. I hope no one is homeless in this storm,"
said Mr. Abbot. "I am thankful for this peaceful, though humble refuge,
after the turmoil and wrong of a few years ago, only it is hard for you to
be so shut away and isolated from those of your own age. But surely that
was a knock, Virgie."

The young girl started to her feet as a loud and imperative rap echoed
through the small entry outside the parlor.

It was seldom that they were disturbed at that hour of the evening, for
among the hard working people of the mining district in which they lived,
there were few who were not early wrapped in slumber after the labors of
the day.

Virgie passed quickly out of the cheerful parlor into the tiny hall, and
opened the outer door, though the heavy burglar chain was fastened and
would admit of its being opened but a little ways.

"Who is there?" she asked, in her clear, sweet tones.

"A stranger who has lost his way and seeks direction to the nearest public
inn," answered a rich, mellow voice from without.

Mr. Abbot now came out, a heavy shawl wrapped about his shoulders to
shield him from the dampness.

"It is more than a mile from here, and a very poor place at that," he
said.

The stranger outside gave a low whistle of dismay at this information, and