he sharp report of a rifle rang out, followed by another,
and then another, in quick succession.

Instantly Nannie felt her arm clutched, and she heard Miss Becky
saying: "You must come right away, this very minute!"

"Oh, please not, Miss Becky," she implored.

But there was a resolute gleam in Miss Becky's eye.

"Come right along, child," she whispered, hoarsely, "come right along
with me!"--and poor Nannie, to her consternation and chagrin, found
herself absolutely obliged to follow.

The whole row of people stood up to let them pass, and every kind of
look--glances of amusement and curiosity, of annoyance and of
sympathy--followed the oddly assorted pair, as they made their way
out of the slip and then up the aisle.

Once outside the door, the tension of Miss Becky's face relaxed, but
she did not waver in her determination.

"There, child!" she cried, as they walked down the slight incline of
the long passageway to the street. "There! I am glad I had strength
given me to do my duty by you!"

"But, Miss Becky, there wasn't a bit of danger," Nannie protested,
bravely keeping the tears back in her cruel disappointment. "Really,
there wasn't. Won't you _please_ go back with me, and just stand
inside the door and see the end of it? I'm sure they'd let us stand
inside the door."

"Nannie Ray," Miss Becky replied, looking very fiercely at the girl's
flushed cheeks and imploring eyes, "if you knew as much about firearms
as I do, you wouldn't ask such a thing. But there! It's jest because
you're young and inexperienced that your ma wanted me to come and look
after you. I guess she'll be thankful she was so foresighted when she
hears of the danger you was in."

In her exultation and relief of mind, Miss Becky marched on,
regardless of jostling crowds and thronging teams. Her whole attitude
had changed. She was no longer the timid, shrinking old woman; she was
the responsible guardian, aware of the importance of her charge, and
nothing was ever to convince her that she had not as good as saved
Nannie's life on that occasion.

Then Nannie, as became a hostess, accepted the situation with the best
grace in the world.

"I tell you what let's do, Miss Becky," she said. "Let's go and get
some ice-cream. That is, if you like it."

The stern old face relaxed.

"Oh, yes; I like ice-cream, especially vanilla. But--do you think
we've got time enough?"

"We've got an hour and a quarter before the train goes. Let's com