izzie. "She don't sing
nor dance like other young ladies would, but her eyes shine like stars,
and now and again she smiles quiet to herself."

But, after all, Margaret did not have Mrs. Parkes as a travelling
companion. The day before they were to start for Chailfield two things
happened. Scarlet fever broke out in Clayton, and Mrs. Parkes fell down
the cellar stairs and broke her leg.

"The departure of my granddaughter, who was to have left to-morrow
morning by the nine-thirty train, must therefore be delayed," said Mr.
Anstruther, "until I can procure for her a suitable escort."

This was said to Dr. Knowles, who had been summoned to set the broken
leg.

"Departure delayed! Escort! Fiddlesticks!" said Dr. Knowles in his most
staccato manner. "Don't keep her an hour longer here than necessary. In
her run-down state she would be just the sort of person to go down with
fever. The sooner she is away from here the better."

"But I hardly like the idea of her travelling alone," said Mr.
Anstruther, who saw the reason of what the doctor said far too clearly
to resent his manner. "I would have taken her myself, but it is quite
impossible for me to leave home for several days----"

"Then send her alone. What on earth can happen to her? Put her in charge
of the guard, engine-driver, inspector, every official on the line, but
don't keep her here another day. It would be wicked to let her run
unnecessary risks."

As it was then ten o'clock at night, and Margaret was to start so early
the next morning, it was impossible to find any one to go with her,
especially as Dr. Knowles had warned her grandfather against bringing her
in contact with any one in the infected village. After all, he thought,
Dr. Knowles was right, and no harm could come to her through travelling
alone. It was not even as though she were going through London. The
journey was a perfectly simple one, and involved only one change at a
place called Carden Junction. If he spoke to the guard at Clayton, and
told him to put the young lady into the Southern Express at the junction,
she would be well looked after the whole way.

CHAPTER IV

MARGARET MAKES A FRIEND

But in making this arrangement the next morning, Mr. Anstruther, as did
the guard also, reckoned without the train being delayed for over an hour
when some fifteen miles from Carden Junction, and consequently missing
the connection with the Southern Express at the latter station.

"I am