ettlepoint is going in that ship,' Mrs. Allen had said; and
she had represented that nothing was simpler than to put the girl in her
charge. When Mrs. Mavis had replied that that was all very well but that
she didn't know the lady, Mrs. Allen had declared that that didn't make
a speck of difference, for Mrs. Nettlepoint was kind enough for
anything. It was easy enough to know her, if that was all the trouble.
All Mrs. Mavis would have to do would be to go up to her the next
morning when she took her daughter to the ship (she would see her there
on the deck with her party) and tell her what she wanted. Mrs.
Nettlepoint had daughters herself and she would easily understand. Very
likely she would even look after Grace a little on the other side, in
such a queer situation, going out alone to the gentleman she was engaged
to; she would just help her to turn round before she was married. Mr.
Porterfield seemed to think they wouldn't wait long, once she was there:
they would have it right over at the American consul's. Mrs. Allen had
said it would perhaps be better still to go and see Mrs. Nettlepoint
beforehand, that day, to tell her what they wanted: then they wouldn't
seem to spring it on her just as she was leaving. She herself (Mrs.
Allen) would call and say a word for them if she could save ten minutes
before catching her train. If she hadn't come it was because she hadn't
saved her ten minutes; but she had made them feel that they must come
all the same. Mrs. Mavis liked that better, because on the ship in the
morning there would be such a confusion. She didn't think her daughter
would be any trouble--conscientiously she didn't. It was just to have
some one to speak to her and not sally forth like a servant-girl going
to a situation.

'I see, I am to act as a sort of bridesmaid and to give her away,' said
Mrs. Nettlepoint. She was in fact kind enough for anything and she
showed on this occasion that it was easy enough to know her. There is
nothing more tiresome than complications at sea, but she accepted
without a protest the burden of the young lady's dependence and allowed
her, as Mrs. Mavis said, to hook herself on. She evidently had the habit
of patience, and her reception of her visitors' story reminded me afresh
(I was reminded of it whenever I returned to my native land) that my
dear compatriots are the people in the world who most freely take mutual
accommodation for granted. They have always had to help themselv