"She gave me a very short account of it," said Mrs.
Montgomery.

"She was very disagreeably tried," said the old gentleman. "I
presume you do not need to be told, Ma’am, that her behaviour
was such as would have become any years. I assure you, Ma’am,
if I had had no kindness in my composition to feel for the
_child_, my honour as a gentleman would have made me interfere
for the _lady_."

Mrs. Montgomery smiled, but looked through glistening eyes
again on Ellen. "I am _very_ glad to hear it," she replied. "I
was very far from thinking, when I permitted her to go on this
errand, that I was exposing her to anything more serious than
the annoyance a timid child would feel at having to transact
business with strangers."

"I suppose not," said the gentleman; "but it isn't a sort of
thing that should be often done. There are all sorts of people
in this world, and a little one alone in a crowd is in danger
of being trampled upon."

Mrs. Montgomery's heart answered this with an involuntary
pang. He saw the shade that passed over her face, as she said
sadly —

"I know it, Sir; and it was with strong unwillingness that I
allowed Ellen this morning to do as she had proposed; but in
truth I was but making a choice between difficulties. I am
very sorry I chose as I did. If you are a father, Sir, you