hand across the snow from his hotel to the door of
hers.

Claire knew that she could say anything she liked to Winn now, so she
said what she had made up her mind to say.

"Winn dearest, do you know what I came down for this evening?"

He held her hand tighter and nodded.

"I guessed," he said. "That was, you know, what rather did for me. You
mean you aren't going to let me come with you down the pass?"

"We mustn't," Claire whispered; and then she felt she couldn't be good
any more. It cost too much. So she added, "But you can if you like." But
there wasn't any real need for Claire to be good now; Winn was good
instead.

"No," he said; "it's much wiser not. You look thoroughly done up. I'm
not going to have any more of this. Let's breakfast together. You come
over at eight sharp and arrange with Maurice to take you down at ten.
That's quite enough for you."

Claire laughed. Winn stared at her, then in a moment he laughed, too.

"We'd better not take any more chances," he explained. "Next time it
might happen to us both together. Then you'd really be had! Thanks
awfully for seeing me through. Good night."

She went into the hotel without a word, and all her heart rebelled
against her for having seen him through.

CHAPTER XXVII

The hour of parting crept upon them singularly quietly and slowly. They
both pretended to eat breakfast, and then they walked out into Badrutt's
Park. They sat in the nearest shelter, hand in hand, looking over the
gray, empty expanse of the rink. It was too early for any one to be
about. Only a few Swiss peasants were sweeping the ice and Winn hardly
looked upon Swiss peasants as human.

He asked Claire exactly how much money she had a year, and told her when
she came of age what he should advise her to suggest to her trustees to
put it in.

Then he went through all the things he thought she ought to have for
driving down the pass. Claire interrupted him once to remind him about
going to see Dr. Gurnet. Winn said he remembered quite well and would
go. They both assured each other that they had had good nights. Winn
said he thought Maurice would be all right in a few years, and that he
didn't think he was shaping for trouble. He privately thought that
Maurice was not going to have any shape at all, but he omitted this
further reflection.

He told her how much he enjoyed his regiment and explained laboriously
how Claire was to think of his future, which was to be, appare