d at last, with piteously trembling lips.

"Oh, now, you ain't going to cry again, are you?" cried the guard,
pretending to be shocked. "Good little girls don't cry. 'Tis time
to get out, too, the train is going on, and you'll be carried away,
if you don't mind what you're about, and then how will mother ever be
able to find you? Come along, get up like a good little maid."

Poor Jessie, really frightened at the thought of such a fearful
possibility, turned piteously to her grandfather, who had been all
this time standing by awkwardly, wondering what he could do or say.
But at that look he forgot himself and his doubts, and the guard and
everything but the pitiful frightened look on the little face.

"Come along with grandfather," he said coaxingly, dropping on his
knee beside her. "Come along with me, dear, and I'll take care of
you till mother comes. Granny is home waiting for 'ee with a
bootiful tea, and there's flowers, and a kitten, and a fine little
rose-bush in a pot that grandfather picked out on purpose for 'ee.
Wouldn't you like to come and see it all?"

"Will Jessie have roses?" she asked eagerly, her eyes growing bright
and expectant.

"Yes, I shouldn't be surprised if there's one nearly out already.
Let's go home quick, and see, shall we? It had got a bud on it when
I left, maybe it'll be out by this time, if not you can be sure it
will be to-morrow."

The engine gave another shrill whistle, the train jerked and
quivered. Thomas hastily gathered up Jessie in his arms, shawl and
all. "Where's your box, and all the rest of it?"

"Haven't got any."

"Haven't got any! Your clothes, I mean, frocks and hats and boots
and suchlike."

"I've got on my boots," putting out her feet, and showing a very
shabby broken pair, "and there's a parcel there, my old frock is in
it, and my pinny, that's all."

Thomas picked up the parcel, and hurried out of the already
slowly-moving train.

"Tickets, please," said the man at the gate.

"Have 'ee got your ticket?" Thomas inquired anxiously.

"Yes," she nodded; "but you must put me down, please; it is in my
purse, and my purse is in my pocket, and I can't get at it while you
are holding me."

Her grandfather did as he was told, and Jessie, freeing herself from
the great shawl which enveloped her, shook out her frock, and diving
her hand into her pocket, drew out an old shabby purse. The clasp
was broken, and it was tied round with a piece of string, b