"It's only carrying out the mischief we plotted, you know," she whispered. "Well, I submit on that ground only," he replied discontentedly, and with a shade of doubt in his mind. It seemed very strange, even to him, that Lottie could coolly continue to victimize one who had just rendered them so great a service. But the truth was, that she, in her desire to escape from him, had said what she thought would be apt to quiet his objections without much regard for the truth. She hardly recognized her own motive for wishing to sit by Hemstead, beyond that she was grateful, and found him far more interesting than the egotistical lover, who to-day, for some reason, had proved himself very wearisome. "Hemstead heard nothing of this, and was much pleased when Lottie stepped lightly over and took her place socially at his side. "It's very kind of you," he said. "I didn't come out of kindness," she replied, in a low tone for his ear alone. "Why then?" "Because I wanted to." "I like that reason better still." "And with good reason. Will you take me again over this awful road to see Mrs. Dlimm?" "With great pleasure." "But it's such a long drive! You will get cold driving." "O, no! not if you will talk to me so pleasantly." "I won't promise how I'll talk. In fact I never know what I'll do when with you. You made me act very silly this afternoon." "Is a flower silly when it blooms?" "What do you mean?" "You wished you were better." "O, I see; but suppose I would like to remain--for a while at least--a wicked, little undeveloped bud?" "You can't. The bud must either bloom or wither." "O, how dismal! Were you afraid, Mr. Hemstead, when the horses were running? I was." "I was anxious. It certainly was a critical moment with that hill before us." "How queer that we should have been talking of the future state just then! Suppose that, instead of sitting here cosily by you, I were lying on those rocks over there, or floating in that icy stream bleeding and dead?" He turned and gave her a surprised look, and she saw the momentary glitter of a tear in his eye. "Please do not call up such images," he said. She was in a strangely excited and reckless mood, and did not understand herself. Forces that she would be long in comprehending were at work in her mind. Partly for the sake of the effect upon him, and partly as the outgrowth of her strange mood, she continued, in a low tone which the others could not hear: "If that had happened, where should I have been now? Just think of it,--my body lying over there in this wild gorge, and I, myself, going away alone this wintry night. Where should I have gone? Where should I be now?"