The shuffling step of the stewardess was heard slowly approaching.
"Yes," continued Jack abruptly, lightly lifting his voice as Mrs.
Johnson opened the door,--"yes, if you'd only had some of those
spearmint drops of your aunt Rachel's that she always gave you when
these fits came on you'd have been all right inside of five minutes.
Aunty was no slouch of a doctor, was she? Dear me, it only seems
yesterday since I saw her. You were just playing round her knee like
a kitten on the back porch. How time does fly! But here's Mrs. Johnson
coming to take you in. Now rouse up, Sophy, and just hook yourself on to
Mrs. Johnson on that side, and we'll toddle along."

The young girl put back her heavy hair, and with her face still averted
submitted to be helped to her feet by the kindly stewardess. Perhaps
something homely sympathetic and nurse-like in the touch of the mulatto
gave her assurance and confidence, for her head lapsed quite naturally
against the woman's shoulder, and her face was partly hidden as she
moved slowly along the deck. Jack accompanied them to the saloon and the
inner stateroom door. A few passengers gathered curiously near, as much
attracted by the unusual presence of Jack Hamlin in such a procession
as by the girl herself. "You'll look after her specially, Mrs. Johnson,"
said Jack, in unusually deliberate terms. "She's been a good deal petted
at home, and my sister perhaps has rather spoilt her. She's pretty much
of a child still, and you'll have to humor her. Sophy," he continued,
with ostentatious playfulness, directing his voice into the dim recesses
of the stateroom, "you'll just think Mrs. Johnson's your old nurse,
won't you? Think it's old Katy, hey?"

To his great consternation the girl approached tremblingly from the
inner shadow. The faintest and saddest of smiles for a moment played
around the corners of her drawn mouth and tear-dimmed eyes as she held