nearly noon
The wind had ceased , but the snow was still falling , here and there a flake . A faint blueness filled the air , and was colder than the white . Whether the day was at hand or the night , she could not distinguish . The church bell began to ring , sounding from far away through the silence : what mountains of snow must yet tower unfallen in the heavens , when it was nearly noon , and still so dark ! But Steenie was out of the snow -- that was well ! Or perhaps he was beside her in it , only he could leave it when he would ! Surely anyhow Phemy must be with him !