Her skating costume was of the color she most affected, a soft, deep-toned blue serge, neither light nor dark blue, with a short skirt and coat. About her throat she was wearing a beaver fur and on her head a cap of beaver nearly the shade of her own hair, one of her mother’s Christmas gifts, and carrying a small muff. Her complexion, at times too pale, was now a lovely combination of white and rose. Tall and slender, Bettina was always exceptionally graceful, but more conspicuous than any other characteristic was her air of high breeding. “Are you a part of the wind? Won’t you please pause and wait for a fellow mortal who has not your swift skill?” Bettina heard a voice behind her calling, and turning skated slowly back. “But I thought you were off for a walk, Mr. Hale; the cabin was nearly deserted when I escaped?” “Yes, I was, Miss Bettina, but our walk was over a half hour ago and I inquired of your mother what had become of you. I have been following you for the past fifteen minutes. You observe that I skate abominably and yet I was determined to catch up.” Bettina extended her hand. “You are a bit out of practice; perhaps if you take my hand I can be of some assistance. It was kind of you to care to join me.” A moment they skated along in silence, David Hale gaining in prowess from the touch of the gloved fingers. “Does it occur to you, Miss Bettina, this is the first opportunity I have had to exchange a word with you alone?” Bettina laughed. “Yes, I know, but you only arrived a short time ago and we have been having a pretty strenuous existence at Tahawus cabin for these last two days. I hope you have not been bored by being forced to be a guest at a wedding, which was as unexpected to us as to you. I want to thank you for your presence of mind this morning. Mother and Mr. Drain would have been more seriously injured except for you.” “I was a dunce, Miss Bettina, not to have discovered sooner what was taking place almost beside me. I suppose I was too interested in the wedding ceremony. But in any case all the danger and therefore all the credit is due Allan Drain. I confess I am a little envious of his position as hero and my own as anything else. I would give a good deal to have you and your mother grateful to me. You seem altogether to have forgotten our friendship. Oh, I do not mean you are not friendly, but I believed we were more than ordinarily friendly during the months in France. I hoped when we met again that we might take things up where we left off on that enchanting afternoon in the Queen’s secret garden at Versailles. Now I see I must begin again at the beginning, but I am a persistent person and am looking forward to your return to Washington. Then you will be meeting so many people and no doubt will be a great belle, so I am afraid my opportunities for seeing you there will be limited.” Bettina moved so slowly that the two skaters appeared to be poised like birds about to take wing for further flight.