e won'rin' where bride is an' feel del'cacy
'bout askin'. She's in state-room oth' end the car, locked in. She's not
'zactly locked in, but I'm locked out. Mrs. Ravenel is--(h-h)--annoyed
at this, Mr. March; ve'y mush annoyed."

He put on a frown. "John, 'll you do me a--(h-h)--favor?"

"I'm afraid I can't, Ravenel. I've a good notion to get off at the next
station."

"Tha's jus' what I's goin' t' ash you t' do. I'll stan' 'spence, John.
You shan't lose anything."

"O no, if I get off I'll stand the expense myself. You've lost enough
already, Jeff-Jack."

"No, sir; _I'll_ stan' 'spence. I can be gen'rous you are. Or 'f you'll
stay 'n' take care Mrs. Ravenel I'll--(h-h)--get off m'seff!"

John shook his head, took up his bag and returned to the rear platform.

The train had stopped and was off again, when the porter came looking
everywhere, the rear platform included.

"Whah dat gemman what get on at P'laski City?"

Ravenel waved his cigar.

"He's out in back garden pickin' flowers! Porter--you--f--ond o'
flowers? 'F you want to go an' pick some I'll--(h-h)--take care car for
you. Porter!--here!--I--(h-h)--don't want to be misleading. Mr. March's
simply stepped out s--see 'f he can find a f--four-leaf clover."

LV.

HOME-SICKNESS ALLEVIATED

On the second morning after the wedding and next trip of this train, the
sleeping-car was nearly half filled with passengers by the time it was a
night's run from Pulaski City. To let the porter put their two sections
in order, a party of three, the last except one to come out of the
berths, had to look around twice for a good place in which to sit
together. They were regarded with interest.

"High-steppers," remarked a very large-eared commercial traveler to
another.

"The girl's beautiful," replied the other, remembering that he was
freshly shaved and was not bad-looking himself.

"Yes," said the first, "but the other two are better than that; they're
comfortable. They're done raising children and ain't had any bad luck
with 'em, and they've got lots of tin. If that ain't earthly bliss I'll
bet you!"

"They're gett'n' lots of entertainment out of that daughter, seems
like."

"Reason why, she's not their daughter."

"How d'you know she's not?"

"I mustn't tell--breach o' confidence. Guess."

"O I guess you're guessing. George! she's--what makes you think she's
not their daughter?"

"O nothin', only I'm a man of discernment, and besides I just no