, Adelaide--Adelaide
is Samuel's wife--looks at me as if she thought there was something
wrong about me. And perhaps there is, but I do, all the same. When I
was a little girl, there was a man in our settlement who was suspected
of poisoning his wife. She died very suddenly. I used to look at him
with such interest. But it wasn't satisfactory, because you could never
be sure whether he was really guilty or not. I never could believe that
he was, because he was such a nice man in some ways and so good and
kind to children. I don't believe a man who was bad enough to poison
his wife could have any good in him."

"Perhaps not," agreed the dark man. He had absent-mindedly folded up
Grandma's old copy of the _Argus_ and put it in his pocket. Grandma
did not like to ask him for it, although she would have liked to see
if there were any more murder stories in it. Besides, just at that
moment the conductor came around for tickets.

Grandma looked in the basket for her handkerchief. It was not there.
She looked on the floor and on the seat and under the seat. It was not
there. She stood up and shook herself--still no handkerchief.

"Dear, oh dear," exclaimed Grandma wildly, "I've lost my ticket--I
always knew I would--I told Cyrus I would! Oh, where can it be?"

The conductor scowled unsympathetically. The dark man got up and
helped Grandma search, but no ticket was to be found.

"You'll have to pay the money then, and something extra," said the
conductor gruffly.

"I can't--I haven't a cent of money," wailed Grandma. "I gave it all
to Cyrus because I was afraid my pocket would be picked. Oh, what
shall I do?"

"Don't worry. I'll make it all right," said the dark man. He took out
his pocketbook and handed the conductor a bill. That functionary
grumblingly made the change and marched onward, while Grandma, pale
with excitement and relief, sank back into her seat.

"I can't tell you how much I am obliged to you, sir," she said
tremulously. "I don't know what I should have done. Would he have put
me off right here in the snow?"

"I hardly think he would have gone to such lengths," said the dark man
with a smile. "But he's a cranky, disobliging fellow enough--I know
him of old. And you must not feel overly grateful to me. I am glad of
the opportunity to help you. I had an old grandmother myself once,"
he added with a sigh.

"You must give me your name and address, of course," said Grandma,
"and my son--Samuel Sheldon of