From Ploughshare to Pulpit by Gordon Stables

On their arrival at the manse, they found that the minister himself had been called away to pray with a poor woman who was supposed to be dying.

But Maggie May was eminently suited to perform the duties of hostess, and a right hearty welcome did she give them.

With her own hands did she prepare them a delicious hot draught of mulled heather-ale, with soft biscuit broken up in it, for it was a long time ere the dinner-hour.

Lord Raglan was put in the best stall in the stable, and the sleigh was drawn into the shed.

Given three people all in their teens, a good piano, plenty of books and music, and I think there is no danger of the time feeling irksome. It did not in this case, at all events; and when Mackenzie entered the room three hours after, he found them all as merry as crickets, and merrier.

He was glad to see the boys, and said he really envied them their pleasant ride. "For," he added, "of all kinds of vehicular motion, that of the sledge is undoubtedly the most pleasant."

Sandie was a true gentleman at heart, and he at once proposed to place his sleigh and Lord Raglan at the disposal of Mackenzie and his little daughter for next day, if he chose to enjoy a ride. He himself would be going back to Aberdeen, he said, in three days' time, but his father would let him have the sleigh at any time, all the same.

"Besides," said Sandie, "it will hold you and me, sir, and little Maggie May easily; so, if you like, I will come over if it is fine to-morrow and give you an outing."

The minister thanked him very much and readily accepted. But, woe is me! there is many a slip in this world 'twixt the cup and the lip.

At dinner that day all three male people seemed to be in more than their usual spirits, while Maggie May sat saying little, but an amused and delighted listener nevertheless.

At nine o'clock it was time to start, but, first and foremost, all went out to have a look at the weather.

It was moonlight -- bright, clear, full moonlight -- but ever and anon grey and white ominous-looking snow-clouds were driving across the moon's disc, and rendering it momentarily dark. There was heard also now and then a low moaning sound coming upwards from the pine woods that fringed the icy Don. It appeared as if a storm were awakening in the forest, and might soon burst bounds and go howling over all the land.

"I must confess," said Mackenzie, shaking his head, "that I don't quite like the look of things. The wind -- what little there is -- is dead from the north too. Don't you think you had better stay all night?"

But for once in a way Sandie was obstinate, and so the sleigh was had out, and Lord Raglan with his jingling bells put proudly in.

Soon after this, bidding their friends an affectionate "good night," the boys took their seats, and, with a farewell wave of their caps, off they started as silently as if they had been ghosts -- only ghosts don't have such sweetly musical bells.

They had accomplished about three miles of the journey at no great pace, and were now in a very wild and dreary country indeed, hill and dell and gloomy glen.

They were down in a hollow, and just crossing a Gothic bridge that spanned a stream of dark brown water, which, slowly winding between its banks of snow, looked at present as black as ink. Hardly had they left the bridge, when, from the hills above and from the pine woods, swept a blizzard so terrible that it almost cut their breath away, and caused even the horse himself to stagger and feel faint.

It grew very dark too all at once, and, strange sight, they could see lightning flashes among the snow, and hear peals of thunder high over the roaring of the blizzard wind.

The whole air was not only filled with falling snow, but with ice-dust, as it is called, -- that is, the snow was caught up from the ground and pulverised, till it became a powder so fine, but so cold, that to breathe it caused a feeling of asphyxia, somewhat akin to that one feels on going first under a shower-bath.

It must be confessed Sandie M‘Crae was taken aback, and hardly knew what to do for the best. Perhaps the best would have been to return to the manse. But his pride forbade, and he determined to push on.