Burr Gordon, listening, heard in that only the great soprano, and it
was to him like the voice of Miriam of old, summoning him to battle
and glory.

But when that music ceased he did not wait any longer nor enter the
house, but stole away silently. This time he travelled the main road,
which intersected the old one at the Hautville house. The village
lights shone before him all the way. He was half-way to the village
when he met his cousin, Lot Gordon. He knew he was coming through the
pale darkness of the night some time before he was actually in sight
by his cough. Lot Gordon had had for years a sharp cough which
afflicted him particularly when he walked abroad in night air. It
carried as far as the yelp of a dog; when Burr first heard it he
stopped short, and looked irresolutely at the thicket beside the
road. He had a half-impulse to slink in there among the snowy bushes
and hide until his cousin passed by. Then he shook his head angrily
and kept on.

However, when the two men drew near each other Burr kept well to his
side of the road and strode on rapidly, hoping his cousin might not
recognize him. But Lot, with a hoarse laugh and another cough,
swerved after him and jostled him roughly.

"Can't cheat me, Burr Gordon," said he.

"I don't want to cheat you," returned Burr, in a surly tone.

"You can't if you do. Set me down anywhere in the woods when there's
a wind, and I'll tell ye what the trees are if it's so dark you can't