I
wondered that Virginia did not say anything; but she kept still because
she did not understand where she was, or what I had done with her.
Finally, when she spoke it was to say, "Unwrap me, Teunis! I am
smothering with the heat!"
I laughed a long loud laugh. I guess I was almost hysterical. The
change was so sudden, so complete. Virginia was actually complaining
of the heat!
I unwrapped her carefully, and kissed her. Did ever any peril turn to
any one a face so full of clemency and tenderness as this blizzard
to me?
"It takes," says she, "a storm to move _you_ to any, speed faster than a
walk."
The darkness in the burrow was now full of light for me. I made it soft
as a mouse-nest, by pulling down the clean straw, and spreading it in
the bottom, with the coonskin under her, and the buffalo-robe for a
coverlid. There was scarcely room for two there, but we made it do, and
found room for the little dog also. There was an inexpressible happiness
in our safety from the awful storm, which we knew raged all about our
nest; but to be together, and to feel that the things that stood between
us had all been swept away at once--even the chaff that fell down our
necks only gave us cause for laughter.
"Your coat is all wet!" she exclaimed.
"It was the snow, shoveling the way in," I said. "It's nothing."
But she began right there to take care of me. She made me take off the
overcoat, and wrap myself in the blanket. The dampness went out into the
dry straw; but when drowsiness came upon us, she would not let me take
the chance of getting chilled, but made me wrap myself in the robes with
her; and we lay there talking until finally, tired by my labors, I went
to sleep with her arms about me, and her lips close to mine; and when I
awoke, she was asleep, and I lay there listening to her soft breathing
for hours.
Pages:
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430