he said, unconsciously
resting against his shoulder.

"I wish we could, too, Drina," he answered, meditating.

She glanced back at him.

"I like you to call me Drina," she said.

"Drina when you are serious, Patsie when you are trying to upset
sleighs."

"Yes, there are two sides of me, but no one knows the other." She sat a
moment as though hesitating on a confidence, and suddenly sprang up.
"Game for another?"

"A dozen others!"

They caught up the rope together, but suddenly serious she stopped.

"Bojo?"

"What?"

"Sometimes I think you and Doris are not a bit in love."

"What makes you think that?" he said, startled.

"I don't know--you don't act--not as I would act--not as I should think
people would act in love. Am I awfully impertinent?"

Troubled, he made no answer.

"Nothing is decided, of course," he said at last, rather surprised at
the avowal.

They tramped up the hill, averting their heads occasionally as truant
gusts of wind whirled snow-sprays in their eyes, chatting confidentially
on less intimate subjects.

"Let's go softly and peek in," she said, returning into her mischievous
self as the great gabled house afire with lights loomed before them.
They stood, shoulder to shoulder, peeping about a protecting tree at the
group in the drawing-room. Mr. Drake was reading under the lamp, Fred
and Gladys ensconced in the bay window, while Doris at the phonograph
had resorted to Caruso.

"Heavens, what an orgy!-- Sh-h. Hurry now."

A second time they went plunging into the night, close together, more
sober, the silence cut only by the hissing rush and an occasional
warning from Drina, as each obstacle sprang past. But her voice was no
longer hilarious with the glee of a child; it was attuned to the hush
and slumber of the countryside.

"I hate the city!" she said rebelliously when again they had come to a
stop. "I hate the life they want me to lead."

All at once a quick resentment came to him, at the thought that she
should change and be turned into worldly ways.

"I'm afraid you're not made for a social career, Patsie," he said
slowly. "I would hate to think of your being different."

"You can't say what you want, or do what you want, or let people know
what you feel," she said in an outburst. "Just let them try to marry me
off to any old duke or count and see what'll happen!"

"Why, no one wants to marry you off yet, Patsie," he said in dismay.

"I'm not so sure." She was sile