Dinah comes down to the kitchen at dawn the following morning. Adam is already in the workshop and comes out to see who is there. Dinah explains her presence, and the two young people take a long look at one another: Adam admires Dinah's beauty, and Dinah is impressed by the strong young man. She blushes in spite of herself.
After some further talk, they sit down to breakfast with Lisbeth and Seth. Lisbeth is pleased with Dinah's abilities as housekeeper and cook, and she tries to persuade her to stay longer. But Dinah says she must return to her bleak Snowfield to help the poor there.
Contrary to Adam's wishes--he wants Seth to help him--Lisbeth insists that Adam make their father's coffin alone. As he and Seth talk in the workshop, Dinah comes in to say that she will be leaving that evening. Seth offers to see her home. When she is out of hearing, Adam encourages Seth not to give up hope of winning her love eventually, saying "she's made out o' stuff with a finer grain than most o' the women." He then sets about making the coffin, wondering how it is that the right woman can soften even the strongest man.
