纽约的冬天要到了，约翰本打算去气候条件好的百慕大过冬，后来发生的一件事让他改变了主意，转变了行程……
"And now，"said Major Doyle，rubbing his hands together as he half reclined in his big chair in a corner of the sitting room，"now we shall enjoy a nice cosy winter in dear New York.""Cosy？"said his young daughter，Miss Patricia Doyle，raising her head from her sewing to cast a glance through the window at the whirling snow？akes.
"Ab—so—lute—ly cosy，Patsy，my dear，"responded themajor."Here we are in our own steam—heated flat—seven rooms and a bath，not counting the closets—hot water any time you turn the faucet；a telephone call brings the butcher，the baker，the candlestick—maker；latest editions of the papers chucked into the passage ！What more do you want？""Tcha！"This scornful ejaculation came from a little bald—headed man seated in the opposite corner，who had been calmly smoking his pipe and dreamily eyeing the ？ickering gas—log in the grate.The major gave a start and turned to stare ？xedly at the little man.Patsy，scenting mischief，indulged in a little laugh as she threaded her needle.
"Sir！what am I to understand from that brutal interruption？"demanded Major Doyle sternly.
"You're talking nonsense，"was the reply，uttered in a tone of cheery indifference."New York in winter is a nightmare.Blizzardsa，thaws，hurricanes，ice，la grippeb，shivers—grouches.""Drumsticks！"cried the major indignantly."It's the ？nest climate in the world—bar nonea.We've the ？nest restaurants，the best theatres，the biggest stores and—and the stock exchange.And then，there's Broadway！What more can mortal desire，John Merrick ？"The little man laughed，but ？lled his pipe without reply."Uncle John is getting uneasy，"observed Patsy."I'venoticed it for some time.This is the first snowstorm that has caught him in New York for several years.""The blizzard came unusually early，"said Mr.Merrickapologetically."It took me by surprise.But I imagine there will be a few days more of decent weather before winter ？nally sets in.By that time —""Well，what then？"asked the major in de？antb accents，as his brother—in—law hesitated.
"By that time we shall be out of it，of course，"was the quiet reply.Patsy looked at her uncle reflectively，while the major grunted and shifted uneasily in his chair.Father and daughter were alike devoted to John Merrick，whose generosity and kindliness had rescued them from poverty and thrust upon them all the comforts they now enjoyed.Even this pretty ？at building in Willing Square，close to the fashionable New York residence district，belonged in fee to Miss Doyle，it having been a gift from her wealthy uncle.And Uncle John made his home with them，quite content in a seven—room—？at when hismillions might have purchased the handsomest establishment in the metropolis.Down in Wall Street and throughout the financial districts the name of the great John Merrick was mentioned with awe；here in Willing Square he smoked a pipe in his corner of the modest sitting room and cheerfully argued with his irasciblea brother—in—law，Major Doyle，whose business it was to look after Mr.Merrick's investments and so allow the democratic little millionaire the opportunity to come and go as he pleased.
The major's greatest objection to Uncle John's frequent absences from New York—especially during the winter months—was due to the fact that his beloved Patsy，whom he worshiped with a species of idolatryb，usually accompanied her uncle.It was quite natural for the major to resent being left alone，and equally natural for Patsy to enjoy these travel experiences，which in Uncle John's company were always delightful.
Patsy Doyle was an unprepossessingc little thing，at ？rstsight.She was short of stature and a bit plump；freckled and red—haired；neat and wholesomed in appearance but lacking "style"in either form or apparel.But to her friends Patricia was beautiful.Her big blue eyes，mischievous and laughing，won hearts without effort，and the girl was so genuine—so naturaland unaffected—that she attracted old and young alike and boasted a host of admiring friends.
This girl was Uncle John's favorite niece，but not the onlyone.Beth De Graf，a year younger than her cousin Patsy，was a warda of Mr.Merrick and lived with the others in the little ？at at Willing Square.Beth was not an orphan，but her father and mother，residents of an Ohio town，had treated the girl so sel？shly and inconsiderately that she had passed a very unhappy life until Uncle John took her under his wing and removed Beth from her depressing environment.This niece was as beautiful in form and feature as Patsy Doyle was plain，but she did not possess Patsy's cheerful and uniform temperament and was by nature reserved and diffidentb in the presence of strangers.
Yet Beth had many good qualities，among them a heart—felt sympathy for young girls who were not so fortunate as herself.On this disagreeable winter's day she had set out to visit a settlement school where she had long since proved herself the good angel of a score of struggling girls.The blizzard had developed since she left home，but no one worried about her，for Beth was very resourceful.
There was another niece，likewise dear to John Merrick's heart，who had been Louise Merrick before she married a youth named Arthur Weldon，some two years before this story begins.A few months ago Arthur had taken his young wife toCalifornia，where he had purchased a fruit ranch，and there a baby was born to them which they named "Jane Merrick Weldon"—a rather big name for what was admitted to be a very small person.
