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of breaking through was renewed； and the train doggedly
resumed its way； encountering and surmounting fresh
hindrances at frequent intervals。 After a standstill of
unusually long duration in a particularly deep drift the
compartment in which Abbleway was sitting gave a huge
jerk and a lurch； and then seemed to remain stationary；
it undoubtedly was not moving； and yet he could hear the
puffing of the engine and the slow rumbling and jolting
of wheels。 The puffing and rumbling grew fainter； as
though it were dying away through the agency of
intervening distance。 Abbleway suddenly gave vent to an
exclamation of scandalised alarm； opened the window； and
peered out into the snowstorm。 The flakes perched on his
eyelashes and blurred his vision； but he saw enough to
help him to realise what had happened。 The engine had
made a mighty plunge through the drift and had gone
merrily forward； lightened of the load of its rear
carriage； whose coupling had snapped under the strain。
Abbleway was alone； or almost alone； with a derelict
railway waggon； in the heart of some Styrian or Croatian
forest。 In the third…class compartment next to his own
he remembered to have seen a peasant woman； who had
entered the train at a small wayside station。 〃With the
exception of that woman；〃 he exclaimed dramatically to
himself； 〃the nearest living beings are probably a pack
of wolves。〃
Before making his way to the third…class compartment
to acquaint his fellow…traveller with the extent of the
disaster Abbleway hurriedly pondered the question of the
woman's nationality。 He had acquired a smattering of
Slavonic tongues during his residence in Vienna； and felt
competent to grapple with several racial possibilities。
〃If she is Croat or Serb or Bosniak I shall be able
to make her understand；〃 he promised himself。 〃If she is
Magyar； heaven help me！ We shall have to converse
entirely by signs。〃
He entered the carriage and made his momentous
announcement in the best approach to Croat speech that he
could achieve。
〃The train has broken away and left us！〃
The woman shook her head with a movement that might
be intended to convey resignation to the will of heaven；
but probably meant noncomprehension。 Abbleway repeated
his information with variations of Slavonic tongues and
generous displays of pantomime。
〃Ah；〃 said the woman at last in German dialect； 〃the
train has gone？ We are left。 Ah； so。〃
She seemed about as much interested as though
Abbleway had told her the result of the municipal
elections in Amsterdam。
〃They will find out at some station； and when the
line is clear of snow they will send an engine。 It
happens that way sometimes。〃
〃We may be here all night！〃 exclaimed Abbleway。
The woman nodded as though she thought it possible。
〃Are there wolves in these parts？〃 asked Abbleway
hurriedly。
〃Many；〃 said the woman； 〃just outside this forest my
aunt was devoured three years ago； as she was coming home
from market。 The horse and a young pig that was in the
cart were eaten too。 The horse was a very old one； but
it was a beautiful young pig； oh； so fat。 I cried when I
heard that it was taken。 They spare nothing。〃
〃They may attack us here；〃 said Abbleway
tremulously； 〃they could easily break in； these carriages
are like matchwood。 We may both be devoured。〃
〃You； perhaps；〃 said the woman calmly； 〃not me。〃
〃Why not you？〃 demanded Abbleway。
〃It is the day of Saint Maria Kleopha； my name…day。
She would not allow me to be eaten by wolves on her day。
Such a thing could not be thought of。 You； yes； but not
me。〃
Abbleway changed the subject。
〃It is only afternoon now； if we are to be left here
till morning we shall be starving。〃
〃I have here some good eatables；〃 said the woman
tranquilly； 〃on my festival day it is natural that I
should have provision with me。 I have five good blood…
sausages； in the town shops they cost twenty…five heller
each。 Things are dear in the town shops。〃
〃I will give you fifty heller apiece for a couple of
them；〃 said Abbleway with some enthusiasm。
〃In a railway accident things become very dear；〃
said the woman； 〃these blood…sausages are four kronen
apiece。〃
〃Four kronen！〃 exclaimed Abbleway； 〃four kronen for
a blood…sausage！〃
〃You cannot get them any cheaper on this train；〃
said the woman； with relentless logic； 〃because there
aren't any others to get。 In Agram you can buy them
cheaper； and in Paradise no doubt they will be given to
us for nothing； but here they cost four kronen each。 I
have a small piece of Emmenthaler cheese and a honey…cake
and a piece of bread that I can let you have。 That will
be another three kronen； eleven kronen in all。 There is
a piece of ham； but that I cannot let you have on my
name…day。〃
Abbleway wondered to himself what price she would
have put on the ham； and hurried to pay her the eleven
kronen before her emergency tariff expanded into a famine
tariff。 As he was taking possession of his modest store
of eatables he suddenly heard a noise which set his heart
thumping in a miserable fever of fear。 'There was a
scraping and shuffling as of some animal or animals
trying to climb up to the footboard。 In another moment；
through the snow…encrusted glass of the carriage window；
he saw a gaunt prick…eared head； with gaping jaw and
lolling tongue and gleaming teeth； a second later another
head shot up。
〃There are hundreds of them；〃 whispered Abbleway；
〃they have scented us。 They will tear the carriage to
pieces。 We shall be devoured。〃
〃Not me； on my name…day。 The holy Maria Kleopha
would not permit it；〃 said the woman with provoking calm。
The heads dropped down from the window and an
uncanny silence fell on the beleaguered carriage。
Abbleway neither moved nor spoke。 Perhaps the brutes had
not clearly seen or winded the human occupants of the
carriage； and had prowled away on some other errand of
rapine。
The long torture…laden minutes passed slowly away。
〃It grows cold；〃 said the woman suddenly； crossing
over to the far end of the carriage； where the heads had
appeared。 〃The heating apparatus does not work any
longer。 See； over there beyond the trees； there is a
chimney with smoke coming from it。 It is not far； and
the snow has nearly stopped； I shall find a path through
the forest to that house with the chimney。〃
〃But the wolves！〃 exclaimed Abbleway； 〃they may … 〃
〃Not on my name…day；〃 said the woman obstinately；
and before he could stop her she had opened the door and
climbed down into the snow。 A moment later he hid his
face in his hands； two gaunt lean figures rushed upon her
from the forest。 No doubt she had courted her fate； but
Abbleway had no wish to see a human being torn to pieces
and devoured before his eyes。
When he looked at last a new sensation of
scandalised astonishment took possession of him。 He had
been straitly brought up in a small English town； and he
was not prepared to be the witness of a miracle。 The
wolves were not doing anything worse to the woman than
drench her with snow as they gambolled round her。
A short； joyous bark revealed the clue to the
situation。
〃Are those … dogs？〃 he called weakly。
〃My cousin Karl's dogs； yes；〃 she answered； that is
his inn； over beyond the trees。 I knew it was there； but
I did not want to take you there； he is always grasping
with strangers。 However； it grows too cold to remain in
the train。 Ah； ah； see what comes！〃
A whistle sounded； and a relief engine made its
appearance； snorting its way sulkily through the snow。
Abbleway did not have the opportunity for finding out
whether Karl was really avaricious。
THE LUMBER ROOM
THE children were to be driven； as a special treat；
to the sands at Jagborough。 Nicholas was not to be of
the party； he was in disgrace。 Only that morning he had
refused to eat his wholesome bread…and…milk on the
seemingly frivolous ground that there was a frog in it。
Older and wiser and better people had told him that there
could not possibly be a frog in his bread…and…milk and
that he was not to talk nonsense； he continued；
nevertheless； to talk what seemed the veriest nonsense；
and described with much detail the colouration and
markings of the alleged frog。 The dramatic part of the
incident was that there really was a frog in Nicholas'
basin of bread…and…milk； he had put it there himself； so
he felt entitled to know something about it。 The sin of
taking a frog from the garden and putting it into a bowl
of wholesome bread…and…milk was enlarged on at great
length； but the fact that stood out clearest in the whole
affair； a