been discovered
to have this voice belonging to them.

She blushed, and dropped her head. Then she raised it again, after a
moment, and he was still smiling at her in the same friendly fashion,
so Arethusa found courage to look at him. To her rose-colored view of
the inmates of the best of all possible worlds, he seemed in that look
to be a very nice man. It is true that Miss Eliza had warned her with
emphasis against strange men, but the Man across from her could not be
said to come anywhere near the descriptions of the Ogres against which
Arethusa had been so warned. Arethusa had not had her Red-Riding-Hood
Experience as yet, and it was her habit to trust.

They rode for a few moments silently, and then Peter did what had been
inevitable for some time that he would do, he pitched head first out
into the aisle.

"Oh!" exclaimed Arethusa, and she jumped clear out of her seat at the
loud and high-pitched wail with which he made known his distress.

"That's too bad," said the Man. "But I've been afraid he was going to
do that very thing."

"So have I," answered Arethusa confidentially.

And in a very short while, she was talking away as if she had known her
new acquaintance all her life, with all the dimples and excitement and
gestures that belonged to Arethusa. But what harm to talk to such a
Nice, Kind Man? Miss Eliza had not known that she would meet this sort
of Man, she was sure. She could not possibly object to a little
Friendly Conversation with someone in the very same seat.

And he listened, truly interested, as Arethusa's enthusiasm began to
make up for the while it had been pent, in all she told him of the
coming Visit and the magnificent expectations she had of that Visit,
and of Ross and Elinor.

But the motherly looking woman across the aisle had been watching
Arethusa for some time also. And when Peter's sobs had ceased, and she
looked up once more from her family cares to see Arethusa conversing so
animatedly with her chance acquaintance, she decided at once to
interfere. She had heart enough to--at least--attempt the management of
any affairs coming under her notice which did not seem to her to be
running just as they should.

She bustled over and loomed above Arethusa and her Friendly Man.

"Know this man, dearie?" she demanded peremptorily.

"Why ... no ... I...."

Arethusa almost added, "Aunt 'Titia." For the tone of voice and the
little term of endearment and the woman herself were all