noon
Ai n't -- ai n't you there , Stefan ? '' His eyes searched the room for a moment . Then , with a look of disappointment , his head sagged down on the pillow again and he lay quiet for a long time , till he began to mutter words that were disconnected and meaningless to her . The noon hour came and went , with a glowing sun that shone brightly over the snow and tinted the mist from the great falls with the colors of the rainbow . But Madge did not see it , for within the little shack the panes were dimmed by the frost . The stove crackled and spat , with the sudden little explosions of wood fires . Close to it one felt very warm but the heat did not extend far , since the cold seemed to be seeking ever to penetrate the room , making its way beneath the door and through some of the chinked spaces between the logs .