Before she had taken the second step in my direction, I had crammed
all those seven grapes into my mouth, bundled the napkin with crumbs,
cake and pit into my satchel, shoved it under the bench, and rose
nonchalantly swallowing the grapes whole as I haughtily lifted my chin in
order to survey my worthless companions. Then of course my eyes fell upon
her, and I started forward in vivacious greeting.

I don't believe she had recognized me before, for she said, "Oh!" with a
queer little gasp. Then she put out her hand in that cordial way of hers.
It made me think that I was the person she had been longing to find. She
inquired what road I was going on, and said, "Ah, yes, what a charming
coincidence!" But honestly it seemed to me that there was a worried
expression in her eyes.

And there I sat miserably shaking in my old shoes. It may appear funny to
you, but it was an awful feeling. Even now months afterward I never want
to smile at the memory. You see, it costs five dollars to ride in a
Pullman car from Chicago to New York. I had planned to go into the common
passenger coach until nightfall, and thus save two dollars and a half
toward books for the new semester. That sounds a bit mean and sordid,
doesn't it? And I know my family would have objected if I had told them,
because the sleeping-cars are much safer in case of accidents. Oh, how I
hated to say anything about it! You can't imagine. I wonder how Berta
would express it with literary vividness. Maybe she might say that she
"shrank in every fibre." But it was worse than that--I just didn't want
to, I simply couldn't.

[Illustration: WE HANDED OVER FIVE DOLLARS APIECE]

The hand of the clock kept moving around--oh, lots faster than it had
done before Celia appeared. When it was nearly time for the train to be
ready, I began to mutter and mumble and finally managed to remark that I
thought I had better see about engaging my berth. What do you suppose?
She gave a sort of astonished jump and exclaimed, "Why, I must too." So
we both marched over to the agent's window and handed over five dollars
apiece. I was dying to ask her to go shares with me, because one berth is
plenty--or, I mean almost plenty--large enough for two. But though I
opened my mouth a few times and coughed once, I absolutely did not dare
to propose such a penurious plan. She might have thought me close-fisted,
and perhaps she would not have slept very well either.

No sooner had we settled ourselv