I--I think you had better sit
down here a moment."

He sat down.

"The question is," she said, with heightened color, "whether it is less
embarrassing for us to be civil to each other or to avoid each other.
Everybody has seen the porter bring in our luggage; everybody supposes
we are at least on friendly terms. If I go alone to the dining-car, and
you go alone, gossip will begin. I'm miserable enough now--my position
is false enough now. I--I cannot stand being stared at for thirty-six
hours--"

"If you say so, I'll spread the rumor that you're my sister," he
suggested, anxiously. "Shall I?"

Even she perceived the fatal futility of that suggestion.

"But when you take off your glove everybody will know we're not
B. and G.," he insisted.

She hesitated; a delicate flush crept over her face; then she nervously
stripped the glove from her left hand and extended it. A plain gold ring
encircled the third finger. "What shall I do?" she whispered. "I can't
get it off. I've tried, but I can't."

"Does it belong there?" he asked, seriously.

"You mean, am I married? No, no," she said, impatiently; "it's my
grandmother's wedding-ring. I was just trying it on this morning--this
morning of all mornings! Think of it!"

She looked anxiously at her white fingers, then at him.

"What do you think?" she asked, naively; "I've tried soap and
cold-cream, but it won't come off."

"Well," he said, with a forced laugh, "Fate appears to be personally
conducting this tour, and it's probably all right--" He hesitated.
"Perhaps it's better than to wear no ring--"

"Why?" she asked, innocently. "Oh! perhaps it's better, after all, to be
mistaken for B. and G. than for a pair of unchaperoned creatures. Is
that what you mean?"

"Yes," he said, vaguely.

There came a gentle jolt, a faint grinding sound, a vibration
increasing. Lighted lanterns, red and green, glided past their window.

"We've started," he said.

Then a negro porter came jauntily down the aisle, saying something in a
low voice to everybody as he passed. And when he came to them he smiled
encouragement and made an extra bow, murmuring, "First call for dinner,
if you please, madam."

They were the centre of discreet attention in the dining-car; and
neither the ring on her wedding-finger nor their bearing and attitude
towards each other were needed to confirm the general conviction.

He tried to do all he could to make it easy for her, but he didn't know
how,