a?

THE CALIFORNIAN. Yes, ma'am.

MRS. ROBERTS. San Francisco?

THE CALIFORNIAN. Yes, ma'am.

MRS. ROBERTS. Thanks. It's a terribly long journey, isn't it? I know
quite how to feel for you. I've a brother myself coming on. In fact we
expected him before this. [She scans his face as sharply as the lamp-
light will allow, and continues, after a brief hesitation.] It's always
such a silly question to ask a person, and I suppose San Francisco is a
large place, with a great many people always coming and going, so that it
would be only one chance in a thousand if you did.

THE CALIFORNIAN (patiently). Did what, ma'am?

MRS. ROBERTS. Oh, I was just wondering if it was possible--but of course
it isn't, and it's very flat to ask--that you'd ever happened to meet my
brother there. His name is Willis Campbell.

THE CALIFORNIAN (with more interest). Campbell? Campbell? Yes, I know
a man of that name. But I disremember his first name. Little low
fellow--pretty chunky?

MRS. ROBERTS. I don't know. Do you mean short and stout?

THE CALIFORNIAN. Yes, ma'am.

MRS. ROBERTS. I'm sure I can't tell. It's a great many years since he
went out there, and I've never seen him in all that time. I thought if
you _did_ happen to know him--He's a lawyer.

THE CALIFORNIAN. It's quite likely I know him; and in the morning,
ma'am--

MRS. ROBERTS. Oh, excuse me. I'm very sorry to have kept you so long
awake with my silly questions.

THE MAN IN THE UPPER BERTH. Don't apologize, madam. I'm not a
Californian myself, but I'm an orphan, and away from home, and I thank
you, on behalf of all our fellow-passengers, for the mental refreshment
that your conversation has afforded us. _I_ could lie here and listen to
it all night; but there are invalids in some of these berths, and perhaps
on their account it will be as well to defer everything till the morning,
as our friend suggests. Allow me to wish you pleasant dreams, madam.

[THE CALIFORNIAN, while MRS. ROBERTS shrinks back under the curtain of
her berth in dismay, and stammers some inaudible excuse, slowly emerges
full length from his berth.]

THE CALIFORNIAN. Don't you mind me, ma'am; I've got everything but my
boots and coat on. Now, then [standing beside the berth, and looking in
upon the man in the upper tier], you, do you know that this is a lady
you're talking to?

THE UPPER BERTH. By your voice and your shaggy personal appearance I
shouldn't have