nd head and face, and fumbling for
the hook under the chin. At that moment at least cold was not the
predominant sensation! There was a short silence while the Editor
seated himself by her side, and felt in his pockets.

"You won't mind if I smoke?"

"I shall like it, especially if you have fusees. I love the smell of
fusees! You don't ask me to have a cigarette, I notice, and yet it is
fashionable for girls to smoke nowadays. How did you know that I
didn't?"

"I _did_ know! I can hardly tell why, but I am thankful for it, all the
same. I am too old-fashioned to care for smoking women. A girl loses
her charm when she apes a man's habits."

"Yes. I agree. I am sorry I am not a man, but as I'm a girl I prefer
to be a real one, and have my clothes smelling sweet and violety,
instead of like a fusty railway carriage. But men seem to find smoke
soothing at times. I wish I had a feminine equivalent of it just now.
It's a little bit frightening to sit still and stare into this blank
white wall. Couldn't you tell me something interesting to pass the
time?"

"It's a little difficult to be `interesting' to order. What particular
kind of narrative would distract you best?"

"Oh--something about yourself. Something you have done, or felt, or
planned for another day. I'm so interested in people!" returned Margot,
wrapping the folds of her cloak more closely round her, and slipping her
hands deep down into the inside pockets. "Have you had any thrilling
experiences or adventures that you don't mind speaking about? The more
thrilling the better, please, for my feet _are_ so cold!"

She shivered, in involuntary childish fashion, and George Elgood sighed
profoundly.

"This is about the biggest adventure I've had. I was once snowed up for
a night in a rest-house on one of the Swiss mountains, but we had every
ordinary comfort, and knew exactly where we were, so that it didn't
amount to much, after all. I was going up with my guide, and met
another party of two brothers and a sister coming down, and we all took
shelter together, while one of the guides returned to the village, to
let the people in the hotel know of our safety. When the door was open
the prospect was sufficiently eerie, but we made a fire and brewed tea,
and passed the time pleasantly enough. The worst part of it was that I
had to give up the ascent next day, as there was too much snow to make
it prudent to go on."

"Oh! Yes! Was she pre