All of a sudden it disappeared.
"What is it?" whispered Ellen, fearfully.
"I don't know, my love, yet; wait" —
They waited several minutes.
"What could it be?" said Ellen. "It was certainly a light; I
saw it as plainly as ever I saw anything; — what can it have
done with itself? — there it is again! going the other way!"
Alice waited no longer, but screamed out, "Who's there?"
But the light paid no attention to her cry; it travelled on.
"Halloo!" called Alice, again, as loud as she could.
"Halloo!" answered a rough deep voice. The light suddenly
stopped.
"That's he! that's he!" exclaimed Ellen, in an ecstasy, and
almost dancing — "I know it — it's Mr. Van Brunt! it's Mr. Van
Brunt! — oh, Miss Alice!" —
Struggling between crying and laughing Ellen could not stand
it, but gave way to a good fit of crying. Alice felt the
infection, but controlled herself, though her eyes watered as
her heart sent up its grateful tribute; as well as she could
she answered the halloo.
The light was seen advancing towards them. Presently it
glimmered faintly behind the fence, showing a bit of the dark
rails covered with snow, and they could dimly see the figure
of a man getting over them. He crossed the road to where they
stood. It was Mr. Van Brunt.
"I am very glad to see you, Mr. Van Brunt." said Alice's sweet
voice; but it trembled a little.
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