sonorous
tollings from many church towers.

"We shall be late, after all, I guess. That means it's time for the
meetings to begin. Well, there'll be others in the afternoon; so we may
as good take it easy and go slow."

This suited Jessica, who found more and more to surprise and interest
her in every stage of their advance, and most of all as they entered
the city. This was much altered and improved since the sharpshooter
had himself last seen it, but even thus he could point out many of the
finest buildings, name the chief avenues, and comport himself after
the manner of one who knows enlightening one who does not.

But soon Jessica saw few of the things which interested him and heard
him not at all. It was the first time she had ever seen a girl of her
own age, and now--the streets were full of them. In their gay Sunday
attire, on their homeward way now from the churches whose bells had long
ceased to ring, they were here, there, and everywhere. They lined the
sidewalks and glittered from the open electric cars. They smiled at
one another and, a few, at her; for to them, also, this other stranger
girl was a novel sight, just then and there. Besides the oddity of her
dress and equipment, the eagerness and beauty of her face attracted
them, and more than one pair of eyes turned to look after her, as Scruff
scrambled along, unguided by his rider, and dodging one danger only
to face another.

"That's a country girl, fast enough; and if she doesn't look out that
uneasy burro will land her on the curbstone! Look out there, child!"
cried one passerby, just as the animal bounded across the track of a
whizzing trolley.

But this peril escaped, Ephraim grasped Scruff's bridle and presently
led the way into a quieter street or alley, and thence to the wide plaza
before the inn he sought.

"Thank fortune, there's room enough here to turn around in! And
there's the very house. Hello! Lady Jess! I say, Jessica!"

Without warning the girl had whisked the bridle from his grasp and had
chirruped to the now excited beast in the manner which meant:

"Go your swiftest!"

Scruff went. Following he knew not what, and terrified afresh at every
square he traversed. Somewhere a band of music was playing, and the
beating of the drums seemed to his donkey brain the most horrible of
noises. To escape it and the ever-increasing throng his nimble feet flew
up and down like mad; he thrust his head between the arms of people
and forced