journeys?"

"I haven't travelled at all before," Mary answered, blushing under the
eyes turned upon her.

"Well, you'll find it's all right, what I say," the American lady went
on. "But"--and she lost interest in Mary--"aren't we silly? Miss
Wardrobe had better come in here, where there's only one place, and my
daughter and I'll take a compartment together, as the car seems pretty
full."

"Please don't call me Miss Wardrobe!" exclaimed the golden-haired girl.
"That's the eighth time. I've counted." As she spoke, her tiny dog
yapped in a thin voice at the offender, its round eyes goggling.

"I hope you'll excuse me, I'm sure," returned the American, acidly.

"I must say, I really don't think mamma's had occasion to mention your
name as many times as eight since we first had the pleasure of meeting,"
the charming wren flew to her mother's rescue. "But you've got such a
difficult name."

"Anyhow, it isn't like everybody else's, which is _something_," retorted
the girl who had been called "Miss Wardrobe."

Mary began to be curious to know what the real name was. But perhaps she
would find out later, as the young woman was to share her little room.
It would be interesting to learn things about this odd party, yet she
would rather have been alone.

Soon after Paris there was dinner in the dining-car not far away, and
Mary had opposite her the girl with the queer name. No one else was at
the table. At first they did not speak, and Mary remembered the training
of her childhood, never to seem observant of strangers; but she could
not help looking sometimes at her neighbour. The first thing the latter
did on sitting down was to draw off her gloves, and roll them inside
out. She then opened a chain bag of platinum and gold, which looked
rather dirty, and taking out, one after another, eight jewelled rings,
slipped them on affectionately. Several fingers were adorned with two or
three, each ring appearing to have its recognized place. When all were
on, their wearer laid a hand on either side of her plate, and regarded
first one, then the other, contentedly, with a slight movement causing
the pink manicured nails to glitter, and bringing out deep flashes from
diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Glancing up suddenly, with
self-conscious composure, the young woman saw that her neighbour's eyes
appreciated the exhibition. She smiled, and Mary smiled too.

"If I didn't think my stable-companion was all right, I wouldn't have
dare