o
do so."

"Thank you, sir;" and I began to feel a deep interest in the subject
myself.

"You don't know in what part of England your mother resides, then?"

"I do not, but it is somewhere near London."

It was my turn to ask questions now; and I was glad to do so, in order
to save myself from being "pumped." I made a great many inquiries about
the steamer, the expense, bills of exchange, and other matters, and the
gentleman gave me much valuable information. He left the boat at
Yonkers, but told me he should be in New York on Monday. He gave me his
address when in the city, and I promised to call upon him if I could.

CHAPTER XVIII.

IN WHICH ERNEST CALLS ON SEVERAL LORAINES.

IT was after four o'clock on Saturday afternoon when the steamer arrived
at her wharf in New York. The lady and gentleman who had taken so much
interest in Kate were anxious to do something to assist her. They were
not what is called "stylish" people, and they did not put on any airs.
The gentleman was a well-to-do farmer in the western part of the state,
and his wife doubtless superintended the making of the butter when she
was at home. They were fifty years old, with only one child, a grown-up
son; and the lady, the moment she heard that Kate had been ill-treated,
proposed to take her home and "do" for her.

In the course of the afternoon Kate mentioned this offer to me, and
declared that she liked the lady and gentleman very much indeed. She did
not yet know whether her uncle would receive her into his family. If he
was unwilling to come between her and her step-mother, Kate was
determined to go home with the farmer, whose name was Macombe. The
worthy couple really hoped that her uncle would not take her. I found
they were going to remain in New York for a week. They intended to stay
at a small hotel in the lower part of the city, and I promptly adopted
their suggestion to go with them.

Annoying to me, and disagreeable to Kate, as was the publicity to which
we had both been exposed by the events of the day, I could not help
acknowledging that we had been the gainers by it. The interest excited
by my singular conduct, and the sympathy called forth by her helpless
condition after we were separated, made many friends for us. I had
dreaded the disagreeable necessity of going to a hotel or a
boarding-house with Kate, to be stared at, questioned, and suspected,
because we were so young; but now the difficulty was entirely removed