lways had time
to meddle in other people's affairs, exclaimed to the person nearest
her:

"There is certainly something wrong here. I feel it in my bones. That
colored person is taking this boy somewhere for no good purpose. I think
it is my duty to interfere."

"Oh, I wouldn't bother," returned the member of the throng whom she had
addressed. "The boy seems to be going along willingly enough."

"But I think it is my duty to make sure," persisted the officious
spinster. "My conscience will never be easy in the thought that perhaps
if I had spoken, I might have saved the boy from some terrible fate."

During this conversation, Bob and the porter had walked almost half a
block. But both of them had heard the first remarks, and as the would-be
rescuer set out in pursuit of them, Bob chanced to look back, and saw
her coming, followed by several of the crowd who had first stopped to
watch them in the hopes that they might be afforded some amusement from
the woman's interference.

Unwilling to become the cause of a street scene, Bob turned to his
companion, and said:

"I--I guess, after all, it won't be necessary for me to trouble you to
go about with me."

"It will be no trouble, and Ah sho' am willing to do most anything for
you 'count o' that note you gave me for Massa Perkins."

"Oh, that's all right," hastily returned Bob. "I was glad to do it. I
only hope that it will be successful in letting you get back your job."

"Ah think it will, but Chicago's a pretty big place, and Ah'm afraid
something may happen to you so that you will miss your train. It goes in
about four hours. Is there any place particular you want to go?"

"Yes, I was going out to South 101st Street."

And Bob described the location of the apartment house where he expected
to find Mrs. Cameron, the sister of the waitress who had been so kind to
him.

"Then you want to take this cyar. It runs right by the corner, and when
you come back, you keep on it until you get to the Northwestern station,
where you get your train."

"All right, thank you!" exclaimed Bob, going out into the street to hail
the car that had been pointed out to him.

The porter stood on the curb, evidently with the intention of seeing
that Bob got aboard without mishap, until turning his head he caught
sight of the sharp-featured woman, whose comment he had overheard.

"Ma soul, Ah sure don't want to get in any argument with such a woman,"
he muttered to himself, and bo