Now that there was no one else in the car seat it seemed to be a good
time to look over some things in the pretty London traveling bag, which
had been pushed under its owner's feet until then. Betty found a small
bit of chocolate for herself by way of dessert to the early luncheon,
and made an entry in a tidy little account book which she meant to keep
carefully until she should be with papa again. It was a very
interesting bag, with a dressing-case fitted into it and a writing case,
all furnished with glass and ivory and silver fittings and yet very
plain, and nice, and convenient. Betty's dear friend, Mrs. Duncan, had
given it to her that very spring, before she thought of coming to
America, and on the voyage it had been worth its weight in gold. Out of
long experience the young traveler had learned not to burden herself
with too many things, but all her belongings had some pleasant
associations: her button-hook was bought in Amsterdam, and a queer
little silver box for buttons came from a village very far north in
Norway, while a useful jackknife had been found in Spain, although it
bore J. Crookes of Sheffield's name on the haft. Somehow the traveling
bag itself brought up Mrs. Duncan's dear face, and Betty's eyes
glistened with tears for one moment. The Duncan girls were her best
friends, and she had had lessons with them for many months at a time in
the last few years, so they had the strong bond in friendship of having
worked as well as played together. But Mrs. Duncan had been very
motherly and dear to our friend, and just now seemed nearer and more
helpful than ever. The train whistled along and the homesick feeling
soon passed, though Betty remembered that Mrs. Duncan had said once that
wherever you may put two persons one is always hostess and the other
always guest, either from circumstances alone or from their different
natures, and they must be careful about their duties to each other.
Betty had not quite understood this when she heard it said, though the
words had stayed in her mind. Now the meaning flashed clearly into her
thought, and she was pleased to think that she had just now been the one
who knew most about traveling. She wished so much that she could have
been of more use to the old lady, but after all she seemed to have a
good little journey, and Betty hoped that she could remember all about
this droll companion when she was writing, at her own journey's end, to
papa.

II.

THE PACKET B