“I mean—I mean my ankle. There isn’t anything—the matter with my ankle. I was—only pretending.”
“Ah! Pretending? I see. At least that is to say I hope to get an eye on it in a minute. I seem to be unusually dull to-night—this morning. You didn’t hurt your ankle. Is that what you mean?”
“Yes. I didn’t hurt it. I didn’t even fall down.”
“It’s exceedingly amusing—as far as I can see. You got a free ride; and if you don’t mind, I don’t. But it seems hardly enough to be so amazingly clever and deep about. The ride is all you gained by it, so far as I can see.”
“And your promise.”
“But what had that to do with—well——”
“We must hurry.”
He fastened on her snowshoes and led the way. She kept up with him easily. He turned his head now and again, as if to speak, only to face front again in silence. At last she came up beside him and touched his elbow and asked if he were angry.
“No,” he answered. “I am doing my best, but I don’t believe you have done anything for me to be angry about.”
“I hoped you wouldn’t be. I played a trick on you—but it was for your own good.”