"We're more than halfway now; it's only two miles farther to the hotel," said the driver. "I'm glad of that!" answered the stranger. He wanted to say more but the east wind blew right down his throat if he tried to speak. The driver's voice was something quite pleasing, and at once he spoke again. "You don't feel the cold so much at twenty below zero out in the Western Country. There's none of this coldness," he said, adding, "and wetness." "You'll have a cold drive going back," he said anxiously, and put up his hand for the twentieth time to see if his coat collar(衣领) was as close to the back of his neck as possible. He had wished a dozen times that he were in his warm old hunter's clothes which he had often worn in the worst of weather in the Northwest. "I shall not have to go back!" said the girl in a loud voice, with eager pleasantness. "I'm on my way home now. I drove over early just to meet you at the train. We were told that someone was coming to the hotel."