Page:Fidelia, (IA fidelia00balm).pdf/134

 a skater makes in turning, he put himself beside her and caught her hand.

"Ice's going out!" he told her.

"You came to get me," she said; and still he wondered whether previously she had known. He asked: "Didn't you know it?"

"I wasn't thinking," she replied. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry 'bout," he said, breathlessly. She was not breathless; and he felt her hand steady in his. It drew within his, not quiveringly, but with regular pulsation as the rhythm of her effort pulled the muscles of her arm.

"She's all in it!" he realized as he felt this effort of her body. "How she puts all of herself into a thing!"

It was not like skating with any other girl. Others moved, in comparison with Fidelia, by detached efforts. "How different she is!" he thought. Different from Alice and from any one else.

He said to her: "No hurry."

"Why not?"

"No use. We won't get in."

"Then why did you come out?"

"To get you."

"Can't you get in?"

"No. Water's spreading too fast. You'll see."

They arrived at water and stopped.

"You came out here?" she asked.

"About here. I jumped it. Not a chance to jump it now."

"No," she agreed and turned, letting go his hand,