. _You_ don't go into the air enough, Lois."

"I took a walk this morning."

"In the snow!--and came back tired. I saw it in your face. Such
dreadful walking was enough to tire you. I don't think you half know
how to take care of yourself."

Lois let the charge pass undisputed, and lay still. The afternoon had
waned and the sun gone down; the snow, however, made it still light
outside. But that light faded too; and it was really evening, when
sounds at the front door announced the return of the sleighing party.
Presently Madge burst in, rosy and gay as snow and sleigh-bells could
make anybody.

"It's glorious!" she said. "O, we have been to the Park and all over.
It's splendid! Everybody in the world is out, and we saw everybody, and
some people we saw two or three times; and it's like nothing in all the
world I ever saw before. The whole air is full of sleigh-bells; and the
roads are so thick with sleighs that it is positively dangerous."

"That must make it very pleasant!" said Lois languidly.

"O, it does! There's the excitement, you know, and the skill of
steering clear of people that you think are going to run over you. It's
the greatest fun I ever saw in my life. And Mr. Dillwyn drives
beautifully."

"I dare say."

"And the next piece of driving he does, is to drive you out."

"I hardly think he will manage that."

"Well, you'll see. Here he is. She says she hardly thinks you will, Mr.
Dillwyn. Now for a trial of power!"

Madge stood in the centre of the room, her hood off, her little plain
cloak still round her; eyes sparkling, cheeks rosy with pleasure and
frosty air, a very handsome and striking figure. Lois's eyes dwelt upon
her, glad and sorry at once; but Lois had herself in hand now, and was
as calm as the other was excited. Then presently came Mr. DilIwyn, and
sat down beside her couch.

"How do you do, this evening?"

His manner, she noticed, was not at all like Madge's; it was quiet,
sober, collected, gentle; sleighing seemed to have wrought no
particular exhilaration on him. Therefore it disarmed Lois. She gave
her answer in a similar tone.

"Have you been out to-day?"

"Yes--quite a long walk this morning."

"Now I want you to let me give you a short drive."

"O no, I think not."

"Come!" said he. "I may not have another opportunity to show you what
you will see to-day; and I want you to see it."

He did not seem to use much urgency, and yet there was a certain
insistance in h