a silk handkerchief closer about his neck.

"Just a little; I think it is the unusual cold," he replied. "But I do
not mind it. The air is sharper here than in New York; but it is drier.
Perhaps it may do me good. I think I will use my spray," and he got out
his atomizer.

There were not many passengers beside the members of the film
theatrical company in the car in which Ruth and her sister rode. Among
them, however, were two young ladies, about the age of Alice, and as
Ruth went down the aisle once, to get a drink of water, she noted that
one of the strangers appeared to be ill.

"Pardon me," spoke Ruth, with ready sympathy, "but can I do anything to
help you?"

"She has a bad headache," replied the other. "My sister always gets one
when she travels. Fortunately we have not much farther to go."

"Oh, Helen, I shall be so glad when we get there," said the suffering
one.

"Never mind, Mabel, we will soon be there," soothed the other.

"If you don't mind--I'd like to give you my smelling salts," offered
Ruth. "They always help me when I have a headache, which is seldom, I'm
glad to say."

"I wish I could say that," murmured the afflicted one.

"Suppose you let me give the bottle to you," suggested Ruth. "I'll have
my sister bring some spirits of cologne, too. Then you can bathe your
head."

"You are very kind," responded the other.

Soon the four girls were in the ladies' compartment of the parlor car in
which the picture company was traveling. There was a lounge there, and
on this the girl called Mabel was soon receiving the ministrations of
the others.

Her head was bathed in the fragrant cologne, and the use of the smelling
salts relieved the slight feeling of indisposition that accompanied the
headache.

"I feel so much better now," she declared, after a little. "I--I think I
could sleep."

"That would be the best thing for you, my dear," said Ruth, as she
smoothed her hair. "Come," she whispered to the others, "we will sit
back here and let her rest," and she motioned them to come into the
curtained-off recess of the compartment.

There the other girl said that she and her sister were on their way to
visit relatives over the holidays. They were Mabel and Helen Madison, of
New York.

"And right after Christmas we're going to Florida," Helen confided to
Ruth and Alice.

"Oh, it must be lovely there, under the palms!" exclaimed the latter. "I
do so want to go."

"It is quite a contrast to this