I took his hand, and we walked along bravely. I was warmed with the skating; my cheeks were cold; my heart was beating heartily; I felt a curious exhilaration which snowy air and even most badly executed skating gives to every one.
When we entered the woods Von Marlo slackened his steps and looked full at me.
“You are as happy as the day is long,” he said.
I made no reply.
“If you are not you ought to be so,” was his next remark.
I turned then and stood quite still and faced him.
“You make too much fuss,” I said. “If you and Alex and Charley would leave the subject alone I might get on better with her. But you never will leave the subject alone. When I speak to her you all three look at me.”
“I didn’t know that the others looked; I couldn’t help it, you know,” said Von Marlo.
“But why should you do it? After all, you know much less than the others do.”
“That doesn’t matter.” Von Marlo held out his hand and took mine. “I want to say something to you, Dumps. You are quite the nicest and pluckiest girl I have ever come across. I know lots of girls at The Hague, and they are pretty in their way; but I never saw anybody quite so pretty as you are.”