Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/240

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night, the whole lower floor was in darkness and the storm unabated. The city below was invisible. All day and night the storm continued and Monday morning brought no change.

Reuben managed to keep the way to the woodhouse passable and the fires burning, although the barn was invisible from the house. His devoutly religious nature caused him to spend most of his leisure time in prayer and reading the Bible.

"Oh, well," said Margaret, as she deftly fished out the nut-brown crullers from a skillet of hot fat, "life is a misery an' I can't no-*how unde'stan' it, but I sholy do mean to live as long as I ken. Po' Massa Jack an' dem sweet chillen all undah dis snow!" and her tears flowed afresh.

On Wednesday morning the air cleared and by noon the thermometer, which had registered zero, rose to twenty. The sun coming out melted the surface, that formed a crust which precluded further drifting.

Reuben and Mr. De Vere were working