"Do you think so? Well, I have half-an-hour's drive before me--tete-a-tete. I dare say I shall manage. Good night!" She patted her mother lightly on the hand as she passed her on the way to the door. "Good-by, my dear. Do your best, won't you?" "Haven't I been brought up to do my best?" Beatrice answered with a laugh. She hurried on to the verandah which faced out on the drive, the ayah accompanying her with numerous wraps and shawls. Archibald Travers, who had remained seated, greeted her with a cheerful wave of the whip. "Please excuse my getting down, Miss Cary," he said. "My horse is in a state of mind which does not allow for politeness. Can you trust yourself to his tender care?" "I am not in the least nervous," she answered, scrambling up to his side, "and a drive through this lovely air is worth a few risks. I was dreading the half-hour alone in our stuffy brougham." "I'm glad I came, then," he said. "I heard that Mrs. Cary was ill and could not go, but I was not sure whether you would care for it. There, are you tucked in all right? Can we start?" "Yes, by all means." He cracked his whip, and immediately the impatient chestnut sprang forward into the darkness. They swayed dangerously through the compound gates on to the broad, straight highroad. Beatrice laughed with excitement. "That was splendid!" she exclaimed, pulling her cloak closer round her. "How well you drive!" "You seem to enjoy danger," he said, with an amused smile. "Yes, I enjoy it," she answered, more gravely. "It is the only flavoring which I have hitherto discovered in life. The rest is rather insipid, don't you think?" "You talk like a man," he said. "I have been brought up to be independent and fight for myself," she returned. "That sort of thing does away with the principal differences between the sexes." As she spoke they dashed suddenly into an avenue of high trees through whose branches the moonlight played fantastic, uncanny shadows on the white road. Travers' horse shied violently, and for some minutes his work was cut out for him in pacifying the excited animal. When they were once more bowling smoothly over the open plain, he glanced down at the girl beside him. She was smiling to herself. "You have nerve!" he remarked admiringly. "I have lots more when it is wanted," she answered, looking up at him. The light struck full on their faces, and they could read each other's expressions as clearly as if it had been midday. "How much farther is it at the rate we are going?" she asked. "Another twenty minutes." "Another twenty minutes!" she repeated thoughtfully. "That is quite a long time, isn't it?" He flicked his whip across the horse's ears. "Yes, and I'm glad," he said. "Otherwise, I shouldn't have seen much of you. I happen to know that I am taking in Miss Caruthers to dinner, and dinner takes up most of the evening at these functions." "You are taking in Lois Caruthers!" she said, laughing. "I know of some one who will be annoyed."