nd he did not go
inside. He saw the figure his eye was following take a seat high up, and
turn the child so that it might get the air from the window. He could
see the poor, little pinched face, utterly listless and wan, and by
reason of its sickness totally bereft of the beauty that belongs
to plump, round, rosy babyhood. And yet the child had wonderful
eyes--strange, large eyes of a clear, golden-brown color--the like
of which he had seen once only before. Memories, speculations and
presentments seemed to crowd upon him. He tried to get a view of the
mother, but her back was turned to him, and a fat German woman, with a
pile of unmade trousers from a clothing establishment, almost hid the
sight of that. Usually he could not see these poor sewing-women, with
their great, hot burdens of woollen cloth on their knees, without a
sentiment of pity, but he did not give this one a thought. His mind was
wholly absorbed in scanning curiously, though furtively, the baby's
poor, little white face, and all that he could see of the mother's dress
and figure. Presently the car came to a halt. The German woman got up
and labored down the aisle with her burden and got off, but some one
quickly moved into the vacant seat. Still he could see better now, and
the better he saw the stronger grew the conviction in his heart.
Gradually the car thinned out, and he might have gone nearer, but
something held him back. He kept his position by the conductor, until
he rang his bell and called out the name of a landing from which the
excursion boats went out daily. Then the woman rose, lifting her baby
with gentle carefulness, and came down the aisle and got out. She
passed directly by Noel, but her thick veil was impenetrable, and yet,
from the nearer view of her figure and the pose of her head, the feeling
he had was deepened and strengthened. He got out, too, and followed her,
and as he walked directly behind her, his eyes fastened on the rich coil
of her wavy dark hair, he felt sure that this was Christine Dallas.

"Poor thing!" he said under his breath. The tears were near his eyes,
but a feeling of rage surged up and overmastered them. Where was the
girl's husband? Where were all the men and women that ought to have
protected her and given her support and companionship in this hour?

She toiled on in front of him now, her figure braced to its burden. The
baby was light, but she carried in addition to it a shawl and a small
bag. He longed to