e it was so fond of fish, she said.
And, between Tish buying ice for the worms and Aggie getting milk for
the cat, the journey was not monotonous; but on returning from one of
her excursions to the baggage-car, Tish put a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"That boy's on the train, Lizzie!" she said. "He had the impudence to
ask me whether I still drive with the license plates under a cushion.
English roses--importations!" said Tish, and sniffed. "You don't suppose
he went into that tent shop and asked about us?"

"He might," I retorted; "but, on the other hand, there's no reason why
our going to Canada should keep the rest of the United States at home!"

However, the thing did seem queer, somehow. Why had he told us things
that were not so? Why had he been so anxious to know who we were? Why,
had he asked us to take the Sunday-school picnic to a place that did not
belong to him?

"He may be going away to forget some trouble. You remember what he said
about happier days," said Tish.

"That was Updike's reason too," I relied. "Poignant grief!"

For just a moment our eyes met. The same suspicion had occurred to us
both. Well, we agreed to say nothing to Aggie or Hutchins, for fear of
upsetting them, and the next hour or so was peaceful.

Hutchins read and Aggie slept. Tish and I strung beads for the Indians,
and watched the door into the next car. And, sure enough, about the
middle of the afternoon he appeared and stared in at us. He watched us
for quite a time, smoking a cigarette as he did so. Then he came in and
bent down over Tish.

"You didn't take the children out for the picnic, did you?" he said.

"I did not!" Tish snapped.

"I'm sorry. Never saw the place look so well!"

"Look here," Tish said, putting down her beads; "what were you doing
there that night anyhow? You don't belong to the family."

He looked surprised and then grieved.

"You've discovered that, have you?" he said. "I did, you know--word of
honor! They've turned me off; but I love the old place still, and on
summer nights I wander about it, recalling happier days."

Hutchins closed her book with a snap, and he sighed.

"I perceive that we are overheard," he said. "Some time I hope to tell
you the whole story. It's extremely sad. I'll not spoil the beginning of
your holiday with it."

All the time he had been talking he held a piece of paper in his hand.
When he left us Tish went back thoughtfully to her beads.

"It just shows, Lizzie,"