ous and
unhappy. I think I was as miserable as you were when I sent off that
telegram. I posted the parcel in London, and went and sat in the
waiting-room. I had an hour and a half to wait, and I was wretched and
nervous and horribly hungry. I had no money left except a few coppers,
and I was afraid to spend them and have nothing left. It seemed like a
whole day, but at last the train came in, and I saw an old gentleman
with white hair standing on the platform. I took a fancy to his
appearance, so I walked up to him, and bowed, and said, `Excuse me,
sir--I find myself in a dilemma! Will you allow me to travel in the
same carriage as yourself?' He was most agreeable. He had travelled
all over the world, and talked in the most interesting fashion, but I
could not listen to his conversation. I was too unhappy. Then we
arrived, and Mr Asplin called me `M-M-Mariquita!' and w-wouldn't let
you kiss me--"

Her voice broke helplessly this time, and she stood silent, with
quivering lip, while sighs and sobs of sympathy echoed from every side.
Mrs Asplin cast a glance at her husband, half defiant, half appealing,
met a smile of assent, and rushed impetuously to Peggy's side.

"My darling! I'll kiss you now. You see we knew nothing of your
trouble, dear, and we were so very, very anxious. Mr Asplin is not
angry with you any longer, are you, Austin? You know now that she had
no intention of grieving us, and that she is truly sorry--"

"I never thought--I never thought,"--sobbed Peggy; and the vicar gave a
slow, kindly smile.

"Ah, Peggy, that is just what I complain about. You don't think, dear,
and that causes all the trouble. No, I am not angry any longer. I
realise that the circumstances were peculiar, and that your distress was
naturally very great. At the same time, it was a most mad thing for a
girl of your age to rush off by rail, alone, and at night-time, to a
place like London. You say that you had only a few coppers left in your
purse. Now suppose there had been no train back to-night, what would
you have done? It does not bear thinking of, my dear; or that you
should have waited alone in the station for so long, or thrown yourself
on strangers for protection. What would your parents have said to such
an escapade?"

Peggy sighed, and cast down her eyes. "I think they would have been
cross too. I am sure they would have been anxious, but I know they
would forgive me when I was sorry, and promi