"No wonder! Egad! I believe you danced with every one," said her tormentor. "I have ordered the two sledges," said the Earl, glad to change the conversation. "Oh! hurrah! are you coming with me, girls?" "No, thank you, John! we have more respect for our lives." "You will, Arranmore; I told Wilton," (the master of the horse,) "to put in the two unbroken Irish beggars in my one--tandem fashion." "No, Arthur, don't go," said Edith. "Pshaw! don't frighten him, Edith. I shall think you are a coward if you won't come." "No fear for that, I'll go," answered the Marquis. "You will come with me, girls?" "Yes, we are not afraid of you, Wentworth." Accordingly after breakfast the sleighs were brought round to the door, and all clad in furs ready to face the cold. First the Captain had to get off, and though he was a first-rate whip it was no easy matter, and twice he was nearly over ere he could get the ponies under control. At last he was off at a dashing rate, and had apparently lost all control of his horses long before he was out of sight. In a more dignified manner the Earl and Frank drove off with Lady Edith and Florence inside, wrapped in the costliest furs. Following the traces of the Captain's sledge they soon came to a spot where it was evident a disaster had occurred--a broken trace--wild plunges in the snow--and a shattered fir-tree, the cause of the mishap. The tracks, however, afterwards went on more regularly, which showed no one had been hurt. "I had better call for my cloak, Frank," said the Earl, as he neared Ellen's house; "but," continued he, pointing to two figures on the snow, "I should know that girl." "Miss Ravensworth, and young Nimrod,--love has lynx eyes," replied Frank. In a few moments the sleigh caught them up. "Hallo there! where are you running to? that's one way of treating your friends, Miss Ravensworth," said Lord Wentworth, as he stopped the sleigh. "I was hastening to fetch your cloak, my Lord: it was such a comfort to me last night," she replied, as she shook hands with the Earl, who had leaped down and proposed giving them a drive. "I am sure my sisters will be delighted, won't you Edie? here is Miss Ravensworth coming for a drive with us--Frank, you may drive now--Johnny, you get up on the box, and your sister and I will get inside." "How do you do?" said Lady Edith and Florence as Ellen and the Earl entered; "how glad we are we met you!" "How kind of you to say so, Lady Edith." "Well, how did you like the ball?" said the Earl, as the sleigh glided off. "Oh! so much. I felt a little dull till you came." "Till _I_ came; what had I to do with it?" Ellen saw her blunder, and blushed crimson as she perceived her friends all smile. "I hope you found my brother's cloak acceptable?" said Lady Edith, perceiving her embarrassment, and changing the conversation. "Oh, so warm, I don't know what I should have done without it."