is needed," she added, while a blush mounted to her forehead as she saw
the quizzical smile on her sister's face. "You know I _always_ carry it
in travelling, Nellie,--in case of accident or illness; and I'm most
thankful I have it now."

"Ever so much obliged, ma'am," said the porter, "but this would be only
a thimbleful, and I can get a quart bottle of this gentleman."

"Where are they?" said the person thus referred to, as he came down the
aisle with a big brown bottle in his hand. "Come, Jim, let's go and see
what we can do. One of you gentlemen take my place in the game," he
continued, indicating the commercial gents, two of whom, nothing loath,
dropped into the vacated seats, while the others pushed on to the front
of the train. The porter hesitated one moment.

"Yes, take my flask: I shouldn't feel satisfied without doing something.
And please say to the officer that I'm Mrs. Rayner,--Mrs. Captain
Rayner, of the infantry,--and ask if there isn't something I can do to
help."

"Yes, ma'am; I will, ma'am. Oh, he knows who you are: I done told him
last night. He's goin' to Fort Warrener, too." And, touching his cap,
away went the porter.

"There! He _did_ know all along," said Mrs. Rayner, triumphantly. "It is
most extraordinary!"

"Well, is it the proper thing for people in the army to introduce
themselves when travelling? How are they to know it will be agreeable?"

"Agreeable! Why, Nellie, it's _always_ done,--especially when ladies are
travelling without escort, as we are. The commonest civility should
prompt it; and officers always send their cards by the porter the moment
they find army ladies are on the train. I don't understand this one at
all,--especially--" But here she broke off abruptly.

"Especially what?" asked Miss Nell, with an inspiration of maidenly
curiosity.

"Especially nothing. Never mind now." And here the baby began to fidget,
and stir about, and stretch forth his chubby hands, and thrust his
knuckles in his eyes, and pucker up his face in alarming contortions
preparatory to a wail, and, after one or two soothing and tentative
sounds of "sh--sh--sh--sh" from the maternal lips, the matron abandoned
the attempt to induce a second nap, and picked him up in her arms, where
he presently began to take gracious notice of his pretty aunt and the
kitten.

Two hours later, just as the porter had notified them that Warrener
Station would be in sight in five minutes, the young man of the
opp