This kept him up later than usual, and the clock was striking eleven when his grandmother declared herself easier, and bade him go to bed.
It was at this hour that Arthur Tracy had fancied he heard the cry for help, and the snow was sweeping past the cottage in great billows of white when Harold went to the window and looked out into the night.

In the summer when the leaves were upon the trees the old stone house could not he seen from the cottage, from which it was distant a quarter of a mile or more, but in the winter when the trees were stripped of their foliage it was plainly discernible, and as Harold glanced that way a gleam of light appeared suddenly, as if the door had been opened and the flickering rays of a candle had for a moment shone out into the darkness.

Then it disappeared, but not until Harold had cried out: 'Oh, grandma, there's a light in the Tramp House; I saw it plain as day.
Somebody is in there.' 'God pity them.' was Mrs.Crawford's reply, though she did not quite credit Harold's statement, or think of it again that night.
It was late next morning when Harold awoke to find the sun shining into the room, and without any sign of the terrible storm, except the snow, which lay in great piles everywhere and came almost to the window's edge.

But Harold was not afraid of snow, and soon had the walks cleared around the cottage, and when, after breakfast, which he prepared himself, for his grandmother could not step, he was told that a doctor must be had and he must go for him, he did not demur at all, but commenced his preparations at once for the long and wearisome walk.
'Better go through the park,' his grandmother said to him, as he was tying his warm comforter about his ears and putting on his mittens.

'It is a little farther that way, but somebody has broken a path by this time, and the cross-road, which is nearer, must be impassable.' Harold made no reply, but remembering the light he had seen in the Tramp House, resolved within himself to take the cross-road and investigate the mystery.