"Inquire for me when you call!" she said.

"Thank you."

"It seems so strange that you should know my mother," she continued
evidently feeling curious.

Mark smiled.

"You will know in time," he said. "If we were alone I would tell you
now."

Here there was a stop at some station, and a shabby and dirty-looking
man entered the car. There was but one seat vacant, the one next to
Florence Loring.

Mark hastily rose and sat down in it.

"I thought," he said apologetically, "you might prefer me to the man who
has just entered the car."

"By all means," she answered with a bright smile. "I prefer you also to
the clerical gentleman who rode with me earlier."

"Thank you. When your niece joins you I will vacate the seat in her
favor."

Florence Loring was perhaps nineteen, three years older than Mark. She
looked upon him quite as a boy, and therefore felt under no constraint.

"Do you come from New York?" she asked.

"Yes."

"You seem young to travel alone."

"I don't think you can be much older than I," said Mark.

"Mercy! I feel ever so much older. I feel old enough to be your aunt."

"I shouldn't mind having you for an aunt," returned Mark.

"On the whole, though, it might prove to be too much of a
responsibility. You may be very hard to manage."

"Do you mind my calling you aunt?"

"Well, perhaps it might make me appear too venerable."

"Did you notice, Miss Loring, whether your clerical friend left the cars
when he left the seat?"

"No; I didn't feel any particular interest in him, and did not give him
a second thought."

"Perhaps he may still be on the train. I have a great mind to go and
see."

"I don't think it would do any good. We could not prove that he took my
purse."

"If you will excuse me for five minutes I will make a search."

Mark went through the next car and entered the second one, which was a
smoking car. He looked about him, and in a seat about the middle of the
car he saw the man of whom he was in search. He recognized him by his
white tie and his red nose. He was smoking a cigar and gazing out of the
car window.

The seat beside him being vacant Mark went forward and sat down in it.

The gentleman with the white tie glanced at him carelessly, but did not
appear to think Mark was worthy of attention. He changed his mind when
Mark said in a low voice:

"Please give me the purse which you took from a young lady in the second
car back."

CHAPTER XVI.

MAR