siness of the firm, and if it wan't for him they'd all
gone to ruin long ago."

"But this Mr. Collingsby has a father?"

"Yes; and he's jest like all the rest on 'em. They are all proud and
consayted, and they come naterally enough by it, for the old man thinks
the ground ain't good enough for him to tread on."

"But he is not in business now?"

"Ain't he, though? Yes, he is. He's the sleepin' pardner of the house
of Collingsby and Whippleton. He put some money into it; but my son
Charles finds all the brains."

Of course I could not help having a very high estimate of her son
Charles; but I was not quite prepared to believe that my grandfather
and my uncles were so deficient in everything but pride as she
represented. Mrs. Whippleton continued to enlighten me in regard to the
character and antecedents of the Collingsbys until the train stopped
for dinner. I got out, and took a lunch, after the old lady had refused
my invitation to do so. Reflecting that she had no money, I carried her
a cup of tea and some sandwiches, which she did not refuse. The tea was
hot and strong, and in refined and elegant phrase, she informed me that
it "went to the right spot." I returned the cup and saucer as the bell
rang, and resumed my place at her side.

"You are a real nice young man, and I'm only sorry I didn't take you
into the seat with me when you fust got in," said she, apparently
overcome by my chivalrous devotion to her comfort.

"Thank you, madam," I replied. "I remembered that you said you had not
money enough even to buy a dinner, and I always like to do as I'd be
done by."

"But I ain't so poor as you think for. I will pay you for my fare and
for my tea," she continued; and, to my astonishment, she took from the
folds of her dress a roll of bills, which had been carefully pinned in.

"I thought you had no money!" I exclaimed, amazed at the sight I saw.

"I didn't want to rob you. I hate mean folks, and I ain't afeered on
'em," she added, as she handed me the twelve dollars I had paid on her
account.

"But you may find your ticket," I suggested.

"I don't expect to find it," she replied, with abundant resignation.

"If you do, I will get the money for it."

"I shall not find it. To tell the truth, I didn't have no ticket," she
answered, in a low tone, and with a vile chuckling, which indicated
that she was not to blame, even if her clever trick had failed.

I took the twelve dollars, and considered myself the