elf, "I would like _one_
ride without 'confidences.'"

"Off we go!" said Jim, as he arranged her snugly on the toboggan sled,
and took his place in front of her. They had a fine ride down, and Jim
insisted on pulling Patty up again. She rode part way, and then
decided it was too hard work for him, and jumped off.

"I guess I'm good for some walk," she said, as she tucked her arm
through his, and they climbed the hill slowly.

"I guess you are, Patty. You're strong enough, only you're not as
hardy as Daisy and Adele. I believe our Western girls are heartier
than you New Yorkers. By the way, Patty, speaking of the West at
large, what made you tell a naughty story this morning?"

"I didn't!" and Patty looked at him with wide-open eyes. "I have a few
faults, Jim, a _very_ few, and _very_ small ones! but truly,
storytelling isn't among them."

"But you said you didn't get a big blue letter," pursued Jim.

"And neither I did," protested Patty. "What do you mean, Jim, by that
big blue letter? I didn't see any."

"Patty, it's none of my business, but you seem to be in earnest in
what you say, so I'll tell you that there certainly was in the mail a
big blue letter for you, addressed in Bill Farnsworth's handwriting. I
wasn't curious, but I couldn't help seeing it; and I know the dear old
boy's fist so well, that I was moved to tease you about it."

"It didn't tease me, Jim, for I didn't get any such letter."

"Well, then, where is it?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. Perhaps baby May kept it."

"Perhaps some of the boys got it and kept it to tease you."

"I don't believe they'd do that. Perhaps Adele saved it for me. Well,
we'll look around when we get home, but don't say anything about it."

But when they reached the house, neither Jim nor Patty could find the
blue letter. Adele said she had not seen it, and Patty insisted that
no one else should be questioned. Privately, she thought that Hal
Ferris had received it by mistake from baby May, and had kept it,
because he, too, knew Bill's handwriting, and because,--well, of
course, it _was_ foolish, she knew,--but Hal had said he was jealous
of any other man, and he might have suppressed or destroyed Bill's
card for that reason. She felt sure it was not a letter, but merely a
Christmas card. However, she wanted it, but she wanted to ask Hal for
it herself, instead of letting the Kenerleys ask him.

* * * * *

"Dinner will be at