t timid voice, that
Mr. G. Slade gave one glance at the daughter of whom she spoke, who
also must have weighed a great many litre, or what you call in
America, pounds, and fled back to the smoking apartment.

It was a very funny sight to behold that small conductor stand with my
large bags and overcoat and look around at that car full of ladies for
a place in which to deposit me and them, which was not previously
occupied by some female of great nervousness.

"Madam, I will have to use the upper of this section," he finally
turned and said to the occupant of the number of seven with a very
fine determination.

"Certainly, conductor; let me remove my hat and coat," came back the
answer in a voice of very great sweetness as the conductor deposited
me and my bags down in front of the most beautiful lady in all
America, I am sure.

"Thank you for much graciousness, Madam," I said, keeping those gray
tweed knees straight out in front of me and very still to prevent
trembling.

"Not at all, sir; I only bought the lower half of this section. I am
not at all _nervous_," and I could see her mouth that was curled
like the petals of an opening rose tremble from a mischief as she
regarded the stiff black silk back in the front of the car and the two
huge females on our right whose son and brother was to arrive in
Philadelphia for their protection.

An equally gay mischief rose in my eyes and responded to that in hers
as I responded also by word:

"For which also let us be in gratitude."

Many times in the months that followed have I thought of the lure of
the laughing mischief in those eyes that were like beautiful blue
flowers set in crystal, and how they were to lead me on into the
strange land of men in search of those forbidden fruits. They were the
first to offer me affection, excepting perhaps my fine reporter woman
with the paper and pencil.

And from that moment on I did very much enjoy myself in conversation
with that Madam Mischief, while we together did watch the retirement
of all of the persons in the train. She had many funny remarks to make
and made me merry with them so that the hour of eleven o'clock had
arrived before we had summoned the very black male chamber-maid to
turn our seats into beds. All others were in sleep that was a
confusion of sound from everywhere and we must stand in the aisle
while the beds were being abstracted.

"Shall I take your bag into the dressing room, sah?" said the black