"I don't call it a bother! I supposed it was part of the game. Don't all girls have nice compliments, and flattery kind of speeches from the young men they know?" "I don't know whether they do or not," growled Hal. "Well, I know; they do, and they don't mean a thing; it's part of the game, you know. Now, I'll tell you something. I've known Philip Van Reypen ever so much longer than I have you, and yet I like you both exactly the same! And Roger just the same,--and Jim just the same!" "And Martin, the chauffeur, just the same, I suppose; and Mike, the gardener, just the same!" "Yep," agreed Patty. "_Everybody_ just the same! I think that's the way to do in this world, love your neighbour as yourself, and look upon all men as free and equal." "Well, I don't think all girls are equal,--not by a long shot. To my mind they're divided into two classes." "What two?" said Patty, with some curiosity. "One class is Patty Fairfield, and the other class is everybody else." They had reached the bottom of the hill before this, and were sitting on the sled, talking. Patty jumped up and clapped her hands. "That's about the prettiest speech I ever had made to me! It's a beautiful speech! I'm going right straight up the hill and tell it to everybody!" "Patty, _don't_!" cried Hal, his honest, boyish face turning crimson. "Oh, then you didn't mean it!" and Patty was the picture of disappointment. "I did! _Of course_ I did! But girls don't run and tell everything everybody says to them!" "Don't they? Well, then, _I_ won't. You see, I haven't had as much experience in these matters as you have! Mustn't I _ever_ tell anything nice that _anybody_ says to me?" "Not what _I_ say to you, anyhow! You see, they're confidences." "Well, I don't want any more of them just now. I came out here for coasting, not for confidences." "I fear, my dear little girl, you're destined all through life to get confidences, whatever you may go for." "Oh, what a horrible outlook! Well, then, let me gather my coasting while I may! Come on, Chubsy, let's go up the hill." And putting her hand in Hal's, Patty started the upward journey. At the top she declared she was going for one more ride downhill, and this time with Jim. "For," she said to herself, "I would like _one_ ride without 'confidences.'" "Off we go!" said Jim, as he arranged her snugly on the toboggan sled, and took his place in front of her. They had a fine ride down, and Jim insisted on pulling Patty up again. She rode part way, and then decided it was too hard work for him, and jumped off. "I guess I'm good for some walk," she said, as she tucked her arm through his, and they climbed the hill slowly. "I guess you are, Patty. You're strong enough, only you're not as hardy as Daisy and Adele. I believe our Western girls are heartier than you New Yorkers. By the way, Patty, speaking of the West at large, what made you tell a naughty story this morning?"