"Will you do me the honor to wear it, as a pledge ?" But the actual fetter startled her, I think.

She started up, and said, "Oh, please take me home first! IT IS GOING TO SNOW." Call her slippery, if you don't like her; call her unhappy and wavering, if you do like her.
Mr.Coventry smiled now at this attempt to put off the inevitable, and complied at once.
But, before they had gone a hundred yards, the snow did really fall, and so heavily that the air was darkened.
"We had better go back to the shed till it is over," said Mr.Coventry.
"Do you think so ?" said Grace, doubtfully.

"Well." And they went back.
But the snow did not abate, and the air got darker.

So, by-and-by, Grace suggested that Mr.Coventry should run down the hill, and send George up to her with an umbrella.
"What, and leave you alone ?" said he.
"Well, then, we had better go together." They started together.
By this time the whole ground was covered about three inches deep; not enough to impede their progress; but it had the unfortunate effect of effacing the distinct features of the ground; and, as the declining sun could no longer struggle successfully through the atmosphere, which was half air, half snow, they were almost in darkness, and soon lost their way.

They kept slanting unconsciously to the left, till they got over one of the forks of the mountain and into a ravine: they managed to get out of that, and continued to descend; for the great thing they had to do was to reach the valley, no matter where.
But, after a long laborious, and even dangerous descent, they found themselves beginning to ascend.