"Three or four days yet. Why?"
"Because there'll be good sleighing, and I thought perhaps you'd like to go out for a ride."
"I shall be delighted!"
"Then I'll arrange for it. Won't you come over to the house this evening?"
"I have an engagement," she laughed.
Joe looked disappointed. Mabel smiled.
"It's with your sister," she said. "I promised to come over and learn a new lace pattern."
"I'm just crazy about fancy work myself!" and Joe laughed in turn. "It's as bad as the new dances. I guess I'll stay home, too."
"Do," Mabel invited. And when Joe took his leave some of the worry caused by Shalleg's threat had passed away.
"I guess I'll say nothing about it," mused our hero. "It would do no good, and if father and mother heard about it they might worry. I'll just fight it out all alone. I guess Shalleg was only a 'bluff,' anyhow. He may be in desperate straits, but he had no right to make threats like that."