noon
Heaven protect her , poor little Gretchen ! ' That night when Frank went , as his custom was , to sit a few moments with his brother , he found him on his knees , with his face toward the picture , repeating the prayer for those upon the sea . The next day there was a change for the better , and the next , and the next , until when the last day of February dawned Peterkin 's thermometer registered only two , and people began to show themselves in the streets , while the sun tried to break through the grey clouds which shrouded the wintry sky . But this was only temporary , for before noon the mercury fell again to eight below , the wind began to rise , and when the New York train came panting to the station at half-past six , clouds of snow so dense and dark were driving over the hills and along the line of track that nothing could be distinctly seen . It was not until the train had moved on that the station-master , who , half blinded with the sleet , was gathering up the mail-bag , which had been unceremoniously dropped , saw across the track at a little distance from him the figure of a woman who seemed to be trying to examine a paper she held in her hand , while clinging to her skirts and crying piteously was a little child , but whether boy or girl , he could not tell . ` Can I do anything for you ? ' he said advancing toward the stranger , who , thrusting the paper from sight , caught up the child in her arms , and without word of answer , hurried away in the storm and rapidly-increasing darkness .