and on, keen exhilarating pleasure in his tingling blood, and weariness
all forgotten.

And then, midway in the delight of rushing movement, he saw a figure
gliding behind the wire netting, watching him. With a start that almost
made him lose his balance--for the abruptness of the new arrival was so
unlooked for--he paused and stared. Although the light was dim he made
out that it was the figure of a woman and that she was feeling her way
along the netting, trying to get in. Against the white background of the
snow-field he watched her rather stealthy efforts as she passed with a
silent step over the banked-up snow. She was tall and slim and graceful;
he could see that even in the dark. And then, of course, he understood.
It was another adventurous skater like himself, stolen down unawares
from hotel or chalet, and searching for the opening. At once, making a
sign and pointing with one hand, he turned swiftly and skated over to
the little entrance on the other side.

But, even before he got there, there was a sound on the ice behind him
and, with an exclamation of amazement he could not suppress, he turned
to see her swerving up to his side across the width of the rink. She had
somehow found another way in.

Hibbert, as a rule, was punctilious, and in these free-and-easy places,
perhaps, especially so. If only for his own protection he did not seek
to make advances unless some kind of introduction paved the way. But for
these two to skate together in the semi-darkness without speech, often
of necessity brushing shoulders almost, was too absurd to think of.
Accordingly he raised his cap and spoke. His actual words he seems
unable to recall, nor what the girl said in reply, except that she
answered him in accented English with some commonplace about doing