sie's Motherhood."]

CHAPTER VIII.

"Next stood hypocrisy, with holy leer,
Soft smiling and demurely looking down,
But hid the dagger underneath the gown."

--DRYDEN.

While old mammy told her story to her three listeners in the veranda at
Ion, a train was speeding southward, bearing Edward and Zoe on their
homeward way.

Zoe, in charmingly becoming and elegant traveling attire, her fond young
husband by her side, ready to anticipate every wish and gratify it if in
his power, was extremely comfortable, and found great enjoyment, now in
chatting gaily with him, now sitting silent by his side watching the
flying panorama of forest and prairie, hill, valley, rock, river and
plain.

At length her attention was attracted to something going on within the
car.

"Tickets!" cried the conductor, passing down the aisle, "Tickets!"

Edward handed out his own and his wife's. They were duly punched and
given back.

The conductor moved on, repeating his call, "Tickets?"

Up to this moment Zoe had scarcely noticed who occupied the seat
immediately behind herself and Edward, but now turning her head, she saw
there two young women of pleasing appearance, evidently foreigners. Both
were looking anxiously up at the conductor who held their tickets in his
hand.

"You are on the wrong road," he was saying; "these are through-tickets
for Utah."

"What does he say? something is wrong?" asked the younger of the two
girls, addressing her companion in Danish.

"I do not understand, Alma," replied the other, speaking in the same
tongue. "Ah, did we but know English! I do not understand, sir; I do not
know one word you say," she repeated with a hopeless shake of the head,
addressing the conductor.

"Do you know what she says, sir?" asked the man, turning to Edward.

"From her looks and gestures it is evident that she does not understand
English," replied Edward, "and I think that is what she says. Suppose you
try her with German."

"Can't, sir; speak no language but my mother tongue. Perhaps you will do
me the favor to act as interpreter?"

"With pleasure;" and addressing the young woman, Edward asked in German
if she spoke that language.

She answered with an eager affirmative; and he went on to explain that
the ticket she had offered the conductor would not pay her fare on that
road; then asked where she wished to go.

"To Utah, sir," she said. "Is not this the road to take us there?"

"No, we are traveling so