th, and said we're ready, half
scared to death with fear that D. might cut short the hour he has been
kind enough to give us, and start off alone--a thing he was just as like
to do as not, being a man.

It's astonishing how much can really be done in an hour. When our time
was up we had five minutes to spare, and sat with our satchels in our
laps, waiting for Cousin D.

This time, being with E. E., I just said nothing, but let things drift,
which, after all, is about the easiest way to get along. Instead of
going in among the easy-chairs, as we did before, they took me into the
sleeping-car, which is a great long affair, with what we call bunks, in
our parts, made lengthwise on each side, with a narrow hall running
between. The bunks had curtains, and looked ship-shape when they were
once made up; but it was funny enough to see great tall men spreading
sheets and patting down pillows for female women to sleep on.

Cousin E. E. and I had a little mahogany pen, with two bunks in it,
which is considered extra genteel, and we went to bed, first one and
then the other, not having room enough for more than one to undress at a
time. When our clothes were hung up, and we inside the bunks, the pen
was choke full, and off we rattled, with a jounce now and then that made
you catch your breath. It was like sleeping in a cradle, with some great
hard-footed nurse rocking you in a broken trot.

I had just begun to get to sleep, when what do you think happened?

The door was pushed open, and a man looked in. I started up, riled to
the depths of my woman's soul. Never before, since I was a nursing baby,
had any man looked on my face after it was laid on my pillow.

What did the creature mean?

I scrouched down in the bunk, pulling the sheet over my head, and peeped
through an opening, half scared to death.

That man had a lantern in his hand, a dark lantern, with the fire all on
one side. It glared into my bed like a wicked eye.

"What, oh, what _do_ you want?" says I. "Remember, we are two innocent
females that seem to be unprotected, but we have a gentleman outside--a
strong, tall, powerful man. Advance another step and I scream."

The man opened his mouth to speak; his one-eyed lantern glared upon me;
he smiled as if overflowing with good intentions.

"Go away," says I, speaking in a tone of command from under the
bedclothes, "or if it is my purse you want, take it; but take that evil
eye from my countenance."

The man