than the darkness outside.

"'You are very kind,' I murmured, irresolutely, 'but--'

"'Come in,' he said quickly; 'shut the door, Anne.'

"Almost before I knew it I was standing inside and the old woman,
muttering to herself, had closed the door behind me. With a queer
sensation of being trapped I followed my host into the room, and taking
the proffered chair warmed my frozen fingers at the fire.

"'Dinner will soon be ready,' said the old man, regarding me closely. 'If
you will excuse me.'

"I bowed and he left the room. A minute afterward I heard voices; his
and the old woman's, and, I fancied, a third. Before I had finished my
inspection of the room he returned, and regarded me with the same strange
look I had noticed before.

"'There will be three of us at dinner,' he said, at length. 'We two and
my son.'

"I bowed again, and secretly hoped that that look didn't run in the
family.

"'I suppose you don't mind dining in the dark,' he said, abruptly.

"'Not at all,' I replied, hiding my surprise as well as I could, 'but
really I'm afraid I'm intruding. If you'll allow me--'