I bowed my head quite proudly and said, "Will you please, then, answer my
question?"

"We won't be there for an hour or more. Are you not the young lady Mrs.
Flaxman is expecting?"

"I am Mr. Winthrop's ward. I do not know any Mrs. Flaxman."

"Oh, it's all the same. She lives with him; is a cousin, or something
connected with him. He is away now; left a month ago for the Pacific
coast."

He was sitting now quite comfortably in the next seat.

"You needn't have any more anxiety about the stopping places," he
continued, very cordially; "I will look after you, and see that you
get safely home, if there's no one there to meet you. Most likely they
expected you by the morning's Express." Then he inquired about my
luggage, examining my checks and keeping up a running stream of
conversation which I seemed compelled to answer. After the rigid
exclusion of my school life, where we were taught to regard all sorts of
men with a measure of wholesome dread, I scarce knew whether to be proud
of my courage in being able to sit there, with such outward calmness, or
ashamed of my boldness. If I could only have consulted one of the
teachers just for a moment it would have been such a relief; but
presently the train stopped, when he left my side, his seat to be
immediately occupied by an elderly woman with a huge covered basket.
After considerable difficulty she got herself and basket bestowed to her
satisfaction just before the cars got in motion. She moved uneasily on
the seat, looking around on all sides a trifle nervously, and then