"Yes, I know; the wires broke down. But everything's all right. We stayed at Mrs. Fay's. I'll tell you all about it when I see you. Be sure to have me met at the station. Good-bye." Patty hung up the receiver and hurried back to Philip. "We'll have to hustle to catch that train," he said, as he tucked her in the sleigh. "Did you get Adele?" "Yes; she'll send some one to meet me. She says I missed something. Do you suppose they had a party last night in all that blizzard?" "Well, it's just as well for you to miss a party once in a while; you have plenty of them. And I like the party I was at better than any I ever went to." The roads were much better where they were travelling now, and they reached the station in time for Philip's train. But it was a close connection, for the train was already in the station, and as Philip swung aboard, he saw Martin and Hal Ferris coming in another sleigh. "There they are!" he called to Patty. "It's all right, good-bye." "Good-bye," she called back, and then the train pulled out. "Well, you _did_ cut up a pretty trick!" exclaimed Hal Ferris, as he came up to her. "Now, you jump in here with me, and I'll drive you home, and let Martin look after your horses. They must be pretty well done up. I would have brought a motor, but the sleighing's fine, and the motoring isn't. Hop in." Patty hopped in, and in a moment they were flying along toward home. "What did I miss?" she asked. "Did you have a party last night?" "Party! in that storm! Rather not." "Well, what _did_ I miss?" "What makes you think you missed anything?" "Adele told me so, over the telephone." "Well, then, let Adele tell you what it was. How could I possibly know?" "But what did you do last night?" "Nothing much; sat around, sang a little, and talked,--and I guess that's all." "Who was there? Didn't Roger go home?" "Yes; Roger went down on the morning train, just after you started on your wild career." "Well, who _was_ there? Chub, I know you're keeping something from me. Now, tell me what it is!" "Do you really want to know, Patty? Well, Bill Farnsworth was there." "What!" and Patty nearly fell out of the sleigh in astonishment. "Bill Farnsworth?" "Yes; he came unexpectedly yesterday afternoon. Could only stay twenty-four hours, and went back to-day on the two o'clock train." Patty wondered to herself why she felt as if something awful had happened. She couldn't realise that Bill had been there, and had gone away, and she hadn't seen him! What a cruel coincidence that it should have been just at the time when she was away. But her pride came to her rescue. She had no intention of letting Hal Ferris or anybody else know that she cared. So she said, lightly: "Well, of all things! Didn't anybody expect him?" "No; he thought he'd surprise us. He was awfully cut up that you weren't there." "Oh, he was! Well, why didn't you send for me?"