Dave looked at the little figure prostrate in the snow, and despair for
a time deprived him of all thought. Then the lifelong habit of being
practical asserted itself. Unconsciousness from long exposure to cold,
he knew, resembled death, but warmth and care would often revive the
fluttering spark. If there was a chance in a thousand, Dave was
prepared to fight the world for it.
He lifted Anna tenderly and started back for the shed where he had
fought Sanderson. Frail as she was, it seemed to him, as he plunged
through the drifts, that his strength would never hold out till they
reached their destination. Inch by inch he struggled for every step of
the way, and the sweat dripped from him as if it had been August. But
he was more than rewarded, for once. She opened her eyes--she was not
dead.
He found them all at the shed--the Squire, his mother, Kate, the
professor and Marthy. There was no time for questions or speeches.
Every one bent with a will toward the common object of restoring Anna.
The professor ran for the doctor, the women chafed the icy hands and
feet and the Squire built up a roaring fire. Their efforts were
finally rewarded and the big brown eyes opened and turned inquiringly
from one to another.
"What has happened? Why are you all here?" she asked faintly; then
remembering, she wailed: "Oh, why did you bring me back? I went to the
lake, but it was so cold I could not throw myself in; then I walked
about till almost sunrise, and I was so tired that I laid down by the
cedars to sleep--why did you wake me?"
"Anna," said the Squire, "we want you to forgive us and come back as
our daughter," and he slipped her cold little hand in David's. "This
boy has been looking for you all night, Anna. I thought maybe he had
been taken from us to punish me for my hardness. But, thank God, you
are both safe."
"You will, Anna, won't you? and father will give us his blessing." She
smiled her assent.
"I say, Squire, if you are giving out blessings, don't pass by Kate and
me."
In the general kissing and congratulation that followed, Hi Holler
appeared. "Here's the sleigh, I thought maybe you'd all be ready for
breakfast. Hallo, Anna, so he found you! The station agent told me
that Mr. Sanderson left on the first train for Boston this morning.
Says he ain't never coming back."