me for five or six long hours? I'll get out."

I was too late; at that moment the guard's whistle blew, and the train
moved slowly out of the station. At all events, I had to remain until
the train stopped, so I composed myself as well as I could, and resolved
to make the best of it. Neither of them paid the slightest attention to
me. The elder lady sat bolt upright opposite the younger, and began to
harangue her.

"Don't you know it was very foolish of you to think of coming alone?"

"No," said the younger lady; "I'm tired of having a maid dogging my
every footstep, as if I were a child and unable to do for myself."

"Nevertheless, Gertrude, you should have brought her; no young lady
should travel alone. However, you will have a chaperon, so the
deficiency will be more than remedied;" and there was grim satisfaction
in the woman's voice.

There was no satisfaction in the young lady's face, however, and she
turned with what I thought an angry look towards the scrawny duenna, who
had claimed guardianship over her, and said----

"But, Miss Staggles, you are in a false position. You have received no
invitation."

"No, I have not; but your aunt had one, poor silly creature, and so, for
duty's sake, I am breaking the rules of etiquette. Those fine people you
are about to visit did not think it worth their while to invite your
aunt's late husband's step-sister--perhaps because she is poor; but she