CHAPTER XXIV 

REALITIES 

Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista. The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines. Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening. The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered. A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room. 

Miss Hamilton leaned back in a softly padded lounge that was obviously only made for two, and a pleasant-faced, brown-eyed young Englishman, who had no particular business in that country, but had gone there merely for amusement, sat at the other end of it, regarding her with a smile. 

"After all," he said reflectively, "I really don't think I'm very sorry the snow drove us down from our shooting camp in the ranges." 

Violet laughed. She had met the man before he went into the mountains, and he had been at Bonavista for a week or two now. 

"It was too cold for you up there?" she queried. 

"It was," answered the man, "at least, it was certainly too cold for Jardine, who came out with me. He got one of his feet nipped sitting out one night with the rifle on a high ledge in the snow, and when I left him in Vancouver the doctor told him it would be a month before he could wear a boot again." 
What did Mrs. Acton usually do?
Where does the story take place?
Who was Violet speaking with?
was it a female?
What was the man doing there?
Was he there alone?
Who was he with?
Were they still up in the mountains?
why not?
how?
where?
was it cold?
will he be okay?
how long?
who told him this?
from where?
Was the Englishman in Bona vista for long?
Did the drawing room have rugs?
what was in the fireplace?
did the room have an aroma?
Gathered guests around her
Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, 
Bonavista.
 it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
One of the guests
had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them
No
Violet laughed. She had met the man
Gone there for amusement
but had gone there merely for amusement, 
No
"After all," he said reflectively, "I really don't think I'm very sorry the snow drove us down from our shooting camp 
Jardine
"at least, it was certainly too cold for Jardine, who came out with me
No
She had met the man before he went into the mountains, and he had been at Bonavista for a week or two now. 

"It was too cold for you up there?" she queried. 
Jardine got hurt
Jardine, who came out with me. He got one of his feet nipped sitting out one night with the rifle on a high ledge in the snow,
He got one of his feet nipped
He got one of his feet nipped sitting out one night with the rifle 
On a high ledge
on a high ledge in the snow, 
Yes
"It was too cold for you up there?" she queried. 

"It was
At some point.
when I left him in Vancouver the doctor told him it would be a month before he could wear a boot again." 
A month
 when I left him in Vancouver the doctor told him it would be a month before he could wear a boot again." 
A doctor
 when I left him in Vancouver the doctor told him it would be a month before he could wear a boot again." 
Vancouver
 and when I left him in Vancouver the doctor told him
two weeks
She had met the man before he went into the mountains, and he had been at Bonavista for a week or two now. 
Yes
The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered. 
A fire
A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth
Yes
a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room. 