And she was,
secretly, proud that the slow-witted young giant should have
displayed his interest in her welfare so plainly. Rafe sat and
nursed his shoulder in silence for several miles.
The cold was intense. As the sky lightened along the eastern
horizon it seemed to Nan as though the frost increased each
moment. The bricks at their feet were getting cool; and they had
already had recourse to the thermos bottle, which was now empty
of the gratefully hot drink it had contained.
As the light gradually increased Nan saw Rafe watching her with
sudden attention. After his recent trick she was a little afraid
of Rafe. Still it did not seem possible that the reckless fellow
would attempt any second piece of fooling so soon after his
brother's threat.
But suddenly Rafe yelled to his father to pull down the roans,
and as the ponies stopped, he reached from the sled into a drift
and secured a big handful of snow. Seizing Nan quickly around
the shoulders he began to rub her cheek vigorously with the snow.
Nan gasped and almost lost her breath; but she realized
immediately what Rafe was about.
The frost had nipped her cheek, and her cousin had seen the white
spot appear. "The rubbing stung awfully, and the girl could not
keep back the tears; but she managed to repress the sobs.
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