"Yes, Mother," said Dorothy, "it is just lovely of him to invite you, and certainly the sleigh ride will be invigorating. The truth is, we girls will enjoy the ride afterwards doubly if we know you have had the first ride of the season before we have ours."
"Very well," said Mrs. Shields, "since you all insist, so let it be."
Soon after Roderick's team was hitched to the sleigh and came jingling down to the front gate. Mrs. Shields was tucked snugly in under the robes and away they dashed with sleigh bells jingling, down the road towards the Platte River several miles away.
When they got back Barbara and Dorothy were in readiness, and Roderick started away with them amid much merry laughter and promises from the girls to be home when they got home but not before. The snow was still falling in great big flakes and the cushion beneath the runners was soft and thick. Mile followed mile, and it was late in the afternoon when the sleighing party found themselves in Encampment. Roderick insisted that the young ladies should have supper at the Hotel Bonhomme; they would start on the return trip home immediately afterwards.
When the sleigh drove up to the hotel, who should be looking out of the front door but Grant Jones? He rushed outside and assisted the sisters to alight.
"I will be back in a few minutes," shouted Roderick, as he dashed away to the livery stable.
"Say, Joe," said Roderick while the horses were being unhitched, "I will want the rig again after dinner, and Grant Jones will also want a sleigh."
"All right," replied the stableman. "I can fix him out all right and everything will be in readiness. Just telephone and I'll send the rip over to the hotel."
At the dinner table Grant Jones was at his best. He had already heard about the Smelter Company affairs and his own election as a director, and waved the topic aside. It was the surprise of seeing Dorothy that filled him with good-humor and joviality. As the meal progressed he turned to Roderick and said: "Oh, yes, Roderick, I've just been hearing from Scotty Meisch that during the summer months you learned to be a great trout fisherman."
"Yes," replied Roderick with a smile, "I certainly had a great trout-fishing experience."