fragments; the bits flying off along the quiet road, to fall a gleaming
shower upon the snow.

"Whoa!" called Mr. Tisbett, to his smoking horses, and leaning over, he
cried, "What's the matter in there?"

"The matter is," said Jasper, putting his face out, "that as I could not
possibly make you hear my calls, I chose to break the window. Have the
goodness to let my father and me at once out of this vehicle."

Mr. Tisbett got down slowly over the wheel. "Beg your pardon," he said
awkwardly, pulling open the door, "ain't you goin' to ride back?"

"Heavens!" cried Mr. King. He was glad to find he could ejaculate so
much as he tremblingly worked his way out to terra firma. "Nothing on
earth would tempt me to step foot inside there again."

"Here is the money for your window," said Jasper, putting a bill into
the fur mitten, covering Mr. Tisbett's brawny right hand. "Kindly bring
our traps to the little brown house; here, father, take my arm," and he
ran after the tall figure, picking its way along the frozen road.

"Hey--what's this?" exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, looking into the center of
his fur mitten, "five dollars! Gee--thumps! I ain't a-goin' to take it,
after shaking that old party almost to pieces."

He stood staring at the bill in stupid perplexity till the uneasy
movements of his horses warned him that his position was not exactly the
proper one for a stage-driver who was on his box from morning till
night, so he clambered over the wheel, full of vexed thoughts, and