"You say it is full three miles to D----?"

"I do," said Mr. W. coldly. "I said so when you first stopped, and you
ought to have pushed on, like a prudent man. You could have reached
there before it was quite dark."

"But I was cold and hungry, and might have fainted by the way."

His manner of saying this touched the farmer's feelings a little.

"You have warmed and fed me, for which I am thankful. Will you now
bestow another act of kindness upon one in a strange place, who if he
goes out into the darkness, may lose himself and perish in the cold?"

The particular form in which this request was made, and the tone in
which it was uttered, put it out of the farmer's heart to say no.

"Go in there and sit down," he answered, pointing to the kitchen, "and
I will see my wife and hear what she says."

And Mr. W. went into the parlor where the supper table stood, covered
with snow-white cloth, and displaying his wife's set of blue-sprigged
china, that was brought out only on special occasions.

The tall mold candles were burning thereon, and on the hearth blazed a
cheerful fire.

"Hasn't that old fellow gone yet?" asked Mrs. W. She heard his voice
as he returned from the door.