gan to pick up the old lady's bundles.

"Don't you tech them things," interposed their legal owner.

"This gentleman wants a seat," added the polite official.

"He can find one somewhere else. I don't want my bundles tipped round,
as though they didn't cost nothing."

"But we must have the seat, madam," insisted the conductor. "I believe
you pay for only one seat."

"Sakes alive! Can't a body have a place to put her things?"

"I will put them in the rack for you."

"I don't want them put in the rack."

"Well, madam, you can put them where you please, but this gentleman
must have the seat."

"I don't think much of them gentlemen that want to go a pestering a
poor lone woman like me. You let them things alone, sir!" snapped the
old lady.

"I will wait a reasonable time for you to dispose of them; but if you
don't take care of them, I shall put them in the baggage-car."

"I should like to see you do it! Hain't you got nothin' better to do
than tormenting an unprotected woman?"

Finding that he had a hard subject to deal with, the gentlemanly
conductor packed up the bundles, and tossed them into the rack,
heedless of the protest of the indignant owner. I confess that I rather
enjoyed the discomfiture of the old lady, who had compelled me to stand
for the accommodation of her bundles. She was unreasonable, and utterly
selfish, and I thought she deserved the defeat to which she was
compelled to submit.

"Here is a seat for you, Mr. Collingsby," continued the conductor, with
a great deal of deference in his tone and manner.

Mr. Collingsby! I straightway forgot all about the old lady in the
interest awakened by this name. The snaps, snarls, and growls with
which the woman saluted her new seat-mate were lost upon me, whether
they were or not upon the unfortunate subject of them. The name was not
a very common one, and I jumped to the conclusion that the dignified
gentleman was my uncle.

"Thank you," replied the traveller, rather coldly, after the hard
battle the official had fought for his sake.

"There will be plenty of seats when we reach the next station," added
the conductor, as he passed me.

For my own part, I was glad I had no seat, for I could now choose my
own position to study the features of Mr. Collingsby.

CHAPTER III.

IN WHICH PHIL MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF MRS. WHIPPLETON.

Mr. Collingsby, though not more than forty-two or three years old, was
quite stout; indeed, I should say