Mrs. Estel lost no time in making the young English girl's
acquaintance. She was scarcely settled in her seat before she found an
opportunity. Her umbrella slipped from the rack, and the girl sprang
forward to replace it.

"You have had a tiresome journey," Mrs. Estel remarked pleasantly
after thanking her.

"Yes, indeed, ma'am!" answered the girl, glad of some one to talk to
instead of the children, whose remarks were strictly of an
interrogative nature. It was an easy matter to draw her into
conversation, and in a short time Mrs. Estel was listening to little
scraps of history that made her eyes dim and her heart ache.

[Illustration]

"Do you mind telling me your name?" she asked at length.

"Ellen, ma'am."

"But the other," continued Mrs. Estel.

"We're not to tell, ma'am." Then seeing the look of inquiry on her
face, explained, "Sometimes strangers make trouble, hasking the
little ones hall sorts hof questions; so we've been told not to say
where we're going, nor hany think helse."

"I understand," answered Mrs. Estel quickly. "I ask only because I am
so much interested. I have a little girl at home that I have been away