eutral brown. She had a waist of
painful slenderness, and she reminded Mary of a charming wren. Behind
her came another girl, older and of a different type, with hair yellow
as a gold ring, round eyes of opaque, turquoise blue, without
expression, and complexion of incredible pink and white. Her lips, too,
were extremely pink, and her brows and lashes almost as black as those
of the tall woman. She wore pale purple serge, with a hat to match, and
had a big bunch of violets pinned on a fur stole which was bobbing and
pulsing with numberless tiny, grinning heads of dead animals. On her
enormous muff were more of these animals, and tucked under one arm
appeared a miniature dog with a ferocious face. In the wake of these
ladies who surged round the door and sent forth waves of perfume,
presently arrived a man who joined them as if reluctantly, and because
he could think of nothing else to do.

He was much taller than the woman who had come first, and must have been
well over six feet. His clean-shaven, aquiline face was of a dead
pallor. There were dark shadows and a disagreeable fulness under his
gray, wistful eyes, which seemed to appeal for help without any hope of
receiving it. He walked wearily and slouchingly, stooping a little, as
if he were too tired or bored to take the trouble of throwing back his
shoulders.

The ladies talked together, very fast, all but the tall one, who, though
she talked also, did not chatter as the others did, but spoke slowly, in
a low tone which must be listened to, or it could not be heard. The four
laughed a good deal, and when the tall woman smiled she lost something
of her fascination, for she had large, slightly prominent eye-teeth
which went far to spoil her handsome red mouth. The others paid great
attention to her, and to the big man with the sad eyes. In loud voices,
as if they wished people to hear, they constantly addressed these two as
Lord and Lady Dauntrey.

"I--are you quite sure that you're to be here?" Mary ventured, when Mrs.
Collis had whisked into the compartment, and was ringing for some one to
take down her bag, after the train had started. "I thought--I had this
place to myself."

"Why, if you have, there must be a mistake," replied the American. "Have
you taken both berths?"

"No," said Mary. "Only one. Are there two?"

"My, yes, of course. In some there are four. But this is one of the
little ones. I expect"--and she smiled--"that you haven't made many long