A pair of a school girl

before this story begin

ing on the Northern Ex

n a corner of the compar

self with books and pape

from the restaurant car pr

g in her handbag with whic

r watching the landscape. A

journey, and she leaned ba

the world. Her fellow-pas

g home after a holiday in

alist tracts, and a middl

the opposite corner. Nobo

about the opening or cl

and papers, or to enjoy t

rthwards. The baby was sl

ing on its flushed cheeks, a

ly shawl which was wrappe

thus, and Miss Sherbourne

t lines of the chubby nec

ow-creatures, and she cou

ith that of the woman who

idily dressed, and did not

ement in her face: the fea

gloveless hands were work-

general impression she ga

fe of a small tradesman.

r, and pretty, and daintily

wrapped were of finest qua

rriage seat w

elp speculating about th

to trace a likeness, then

er of the child, and if so

e realized that its clothe

gave up guessing, in sheer

le con

nutes late in starting, a

peed as it dashed across

d, and walls and telegraph

sight. Miss Sherbourne cl

che, and the swaying of t

d of the strap to steady

to close the rattling win

den and awful crash, the

telescoped the walls of t

ith the shock. When she r

side under a pile of wrecka

s. She moved her limbs caut

of the roof had fallen sla

, penning her in a corner

nderneath, about eightee

over had struck a wall, an

ous groans and cries for

en woodwork cutting her of

e baby in her arms was

he preserved presence of m

in this emergency, and her

etched out her hand and

ow beneath her was free; the

ugh the opening on to the

nd and the wreckage above

along. It was a slow and pai

scarcely see, while at a

llen woodwork. Yet that wa

ersevere. She never knew h

bably it was no greater dis

pied daylight, and, struggl

e ruins of a luggage comp

ass edging

rongly over the moor, s

eet as she staggered into t

f horror and desolation. S

had dashed into an adva

terrific force of the colli

to make their escape stood

others already attemptin

The guard, his face livid

signal box to notify the

of cottages near, bringing

ss Barbara will never rec

ssed as the injured were

was yet to come. Almost i

s, starting from one of t

, gained a fierce hold on

nd burned l

a countrywoman, seizin

ith a bairn! Bring it to o

they can, and we canna help

' train's naught but a bla

. Don't look! Don't look!

on their souls!" said Mi

wed herself t

was telegraphed down th

bearing doctors and nurses

e little village of Greenfie

l enough to travel going o

ously injured remained un

re, meanwhile, had done it

es but heaps of charred as

with the aid of the few fa

rantic and almost superhum

eir reach; but they had at

rced to abandon their her

th roll. From the extreme r

it was feared that many m

ould not be ascertained unt

try, and their friends r

iss Barbara Sherbourne sa

d. She had remained the

ock, and partly because s

d whom she had been able t

l the morning papers, so sh

e to claim it. The woman

rescued, and Miss Barbar

of the burni

o, and takes wonderful n

d, for whom she had teleg

h joy to find it safe. De

, and to such a

the heroine of the hour.

ody; newspaper reporters

llowed to see her out of s

been interviewed almost

numbers who visited her r

riendly disposition, and t

ly content to be nursed by

cured for her. At about si

in the inn parlour. The af

erday's sufferers and their

visitors would arrive th

riously exercising the only

supplied from Martha's po

ng to fall, so the bright fi

rac

tempt to go home to-ni

all feel better to-morrow,

le one has been claimed. N

g. It's too late for any

ving now," replied Marth

ng out of it. Yes, and sh

y bel

A moment afterwards the

ushered in a stranger.

p mourning. Her face was

gest agitation. She was d

d her lips twitched ner

she walked straight to the

it was painful to behold,

faile

asked Miss Barbara anxio

om the lamp fell ful

ger. "I don't know it. I c

as

she spoke; her mouth was

mbl

his age in the accident,

. I only thought-I expe

ng swift, uneasy glances a

away h

s Sherbourne interrogati

the middle o

I'm sorry to have trouble

rriage is

don't know

eated emphatically; "not in

een it in my

tly as she had entered, wi

hurried words in a low t

conveyance, drove off i

kne

about her," said Martha,

ow blind. "She was ready

before, but the sight of i

, it's my firm opinion

fuse to acknowledge it!

itated and upset, she must

nd have been

Martha scornfully. "Aye,

Agitated and upset, no doub

or bairn on

y given by the newspaper

ody seemed to recognize he

It was impossible even to a

er, had joined the train.

erbourne entered the co

culated, none of the porte

iages had been full, and t

in the accident. Any lug

ed to her identification ha

unmarked. Day after da

ies made, the result was in

t, always fleeting and fic

rtnight at the Red Lion H

e at last to the scene of t

taking with her the chil

e. For some months she s

put advertisements in the

ut all with no avail: and

seemed useless. Her friend

orphanage, but by that ti

t they could not bear t

, if you're willing to take

said Miss

eturned Martha. "The bairn

ould break my h

she's mine. I shall nam

ft of God', and it was at G

flung her into my arms that

t 'gift', so I accept the

ar

sion met with consider

ati

ish, Barbara, to think of

d, at your age, to saddle y

may wish to

ara hastily, her thought

ept decent burial; "that w

tingency into con

y in a year or two, and i

a lady and then hand he

injustice. I take her no

wa

ll means you reall

le to manage, and the ch

ng I must sacrifice; sh

it," said Aunt Lydia, wi

ways have one of your nie

h y

have their own homes and

s at my house. However fon

consideration in their li

Little Dorothy seems ent

in the world

end to assume the full

te her in your own statio

s wh

d her absolutely as my ni

should come and show a h

im

r arguments, Miss Sherbou

enough to assert her own

to spend a large proport

well, she need not expect

hild, and never asked it t

claim to be treated on a

ing from first to last

ra's plan to let little D

istory. She did not wish h

en, or to allow any slight

her dependent position.

tled down at the villag

were not known, and Doroth

he left the little girl a

tions, whom she succeeded

rain from all allusions t

o Holly Cottage. Dorothy

treated her so stiffly, b

ce and nasty people, and

inkling of the real reason

omes did not trouble her i

penance. Martha kept the se

e adored the child, and w

spare scoldings, and enf

regions, she looked aft

ring Miss Sherbourne's ab

g a half-share i

en years had passed away

ho must be verging upon

iss Barbara's face, and a

ught her a modest measure

rary work, and in the quie

bed. Her articles, reviews,

papers, and by this metho

Dorothy to Avondale Coll

ford to Coleminster, and

th of England. The girl ha

progress, though she had n

her future career might be