third-class one, too. It was very
stupid."

"You appeared to be" she remarked, "in a hurry."

The faint note of humour in her tone passed undetected by him.

"I wanted to get away," he said. "I had walked fourteen miles, and
there was no other train. I am very sorry to intrude upon you. The
train was moving when I reached the platform, and I jumped."

She shrugged her shoulders slightly and raised her book once more. But
from over its top she found herself watching very soon this strange
travelling companion of hers. The trousers above his clumsy boots were
frayed and muddy, his black clothes were shiny and antiquated in
cut--these, and his oddly-arranged white tie, somehow suggested the
cleric. But when she reached his face her eyes lingered there. It
puzzled and in a sense attracted her. His features were cleanly cut and
prominent, his complexion was naturally pale, but wind and sun had
combined to stain his cheeks with a slight healthy tan. His eyes were
deep-set, keen and bright, the eyes of a visionary perhaps, but afire
now with the instant excitement of living. A strange face for a man of
his apparently humble origin. Whence had he come, and where was he
going? The vision of his face as he had leaped into the carriage
floated again before her eyes. Surely behind him were evil things,
before him--what? She took up her novel again, but laid it down almost
immediately. "You are going" she asked, "to London?"

"To London," he repeated dreamily. "Yes."

"But your luggage--was that left behind?"

He smiled.

"I have no luggage," he said. "You are going up for the day only?" she
hazarded.

He shook his head. There was a note of triumph almost in his tone.

"I am going for good," he said. "If wishes count for anything I shall
never set foot within this county again."

There was a story, she felt sure, connected with this strange
fellow-passenger of hers. She watched him thoughtfully. A human
document such as this was worth many novels. It was not the first time
that he had excited her interest.

"London" she said, "is a wonderful place for young men."

He turned a rapt face towards her. The fire seemed leaping out of his
eyes.

"Others have found it so," he said. "I go to prove their words."

"You are a stranger there, then?"

"I have never been further south than this in my life," he replied. "I
know only the London of De Quincey and Lamb-London with the halo of
romance around it."

She sighed ge