Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER H. T)ROBABLY.'' The answer was given with - great hesitation. " If I go by this train at all, that is to say." " Have you any doubts? " " Why, yes. To tell you the truth, I dread the journey. I have been doing so ever since ? since I felt it must be made. Now I find it ever so much worse than I expected." " Why is that, if I may ask? " " You see, I am travelling alone, practically alone that is to say, with only my maid." " And your child," I added rather casually, with no second thought, and I was puzzled to understand why the chance phrase evoked another vivid blush. " The child Oh, yes, the child," and I was struck that she did not say " my " child, but laid rather a marked stress on the definite article. " That of course increases your responsibility," I hazarded, and she seized the suggestion. " Quite so. You see how I am placed. The idea of going all that way in an empty train quite terrifies me." " I don't see why it should." " But just think. There will be no one in it, no one hut ourselves. We two lone women and you, single-handed. Suppose the five attendants and the others were to combine against us? They 'might rob and murder us." " Oh, come, come. You must not let foolish fears get the better of your common sense. Why should they want to make us their victims? I believe they are decent, respectable men, the employes of a great company, carefully selected. At any rate, I am not worth robbing, ard you? Have you any special reason for fearing thieves? Ladies are perhaps a little too reckless in carrying their valuables about with them. Your jewel-case may be exceptionally well lined." " Oh, but it is not; quite the contrary," she cried with almost hysterical alacrity. " I have nothing to tempt them. And yet something dre...