"Let us take the river road home," suggested Lottie.
"As long as you agree," he answered, "you both are sovereign potentates. If you should express conflicting wishes, I should have to stop here in the road till one abdicated in favor of the other, or we all froze."
"But you, sitting so snugly between us, would not freeze," said Lottie. "If we were obstinate we should have to assume our pleasantest expressions, and then you could eventually take us home as bits of sculpture. In fact, I'm getting cold already."
"Are you also, Miss Carrie?"
"Oh, I'll thaw out before summer. Don't mind me."
"Well, then, mind me," resumed Lottie. "See how white and smooth the river looks. Why can't we drive home on the ice? It will save miles—I mean it looks so inviting."
"Oh, dear!" cried Carrie, "I feel like protesting now. The longest way round may be both the shortest and safest way home."
"You ladies shall decide. This morning I drove over the route we would take to-night, and I should not fear to take a ton of coal over it."
"A comparison suggesting warmth and a grate-fire. I vote for the river," said Lottie, promptly.
"Oh, well, Mr. Marstern, if you've been over the ice so recently—I only wish to feel reasonably safe."