vers, is the best possible
preceptor in prevarication."

"Elder!" exclaimed the outraged young man. "Well, of all--" He turned
appealingly to Sally. "_What_ did I tell you?"

CHAPTER VI

ALIAS MANWARING

Fickle-minded fortune favoured Mr. Savage's belated application for
additional sleeping-car accommodation: somebody turned back a
reservation only ten minutes or so before train-time, in consequence
of which Mrs. Standish and Miss Manvers enjoyed adjoining compartments
of luxury, while Mr. Savage contented himself with less pretentious
quarters farther aft.

Thus it was that at one minute past one o'clock, when a
preternaturally self-respecting porter dispassionately ascertained
that nothing more would be required of him till morning and shut
himself out of her presence, the girl subsided upon the edge of a bed
of such sybaritic character as amply to warrant the designation _de
luxe_, and, flushed and trembling with excitement (now that she dared
once again to be her natural self) and with all incredulity
appropriate to the circumstances, stared at the young woman who
blankly stared back from a long mirror framed in the door.

It was truly a bit difficult to identify that modishly dressed and
brilliantly animated young person with S. Manvers of the Hardware
Notions in Huckster's Bargain Basement, while reason tottered and
common sense tittered when invited to credit the chain of accidents
responsible for the transformation.

Strange world of magic romance, this, into which she had stumbled over
the threshold of a venial misdemeanour! Who now would dare contend
that life was ever sordid, grim, and cruel, indigestible from soup to
savoury? Who would have the hardihood to uphold such contention when
made acquainted with the case of Sarah Manvers, yesterday's drudge,
unlovely and unloved, to-day's child of fortune, chosen of a golden
destiny?

Sally's jubilation was shadowed by a pensive moment; dare she assume
that the winters of her discontent had been forever banished by one
wave of Chance's wand?

She shook a confounded head, smiled an uncertain smile, sighed a
little, broken sigh, and with determination bade adieu to misgivings,
turning a deaf ear to the dull growls of mother-wit arguing that the
Board of Health ought to be advised about the State of Denmark.
Sufficient unto the night its room de luxe; she found her couch no
less comfortable for the sword that conceivably swayed above it,
suspended by