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me to my struggle with the attraction of gravitation。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Oh； POOR aunty； how will you ever manage it？ I MUST
help you up。
AUNT MARY。 No； my dear； don't be foolish。 But you may go and call
the porter； if you like。 I dare say he's used to it。
＇MRS。 ROBERTS goes and speak timidly to THE PORTER； who fails at
first to understand； then smiles broadly； accepts a quarter with a
duck of his head； and comes forward to AUNT MARY'S side。＇
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Had he better give you his hand to rest your foot in；
while you spring up as if you were mounting horseback？
AUNT MARY （with disdain）。 SPRING！ My dear； I haven't sprung for a
quarter of a century。 I shall require every fibre in the man's body。
His hand； indeed！ You get in first； Agnes。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 I will； aunty dear； but …
AUNT MARY （sternly）。 Agnes； do as I say。 ＇MRS。 ROBERTS crouches
down on the lower berth。＇ I don't choose that any member of my
family shall witness my contortions。 Don't you look。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 No； no； aunty。
AUNT MARY。 Now； porter； are you strong？
PORTER。 I used to be porter at a Saratoga hotel； and carried up de
ladies' trunks dere。
AUNT MARY。 Then you'll do； I think。 Now； then； your knee； now your
back。 There！ And very handsomely done。 Thanks。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Are you really in； Aunt Mary？
AUNT MARY （dryly）。 Yes。 Good…night。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Good…night； aunty。 ＇After a pause of some minutes。＇
Aunty！
AUNT MARY。 Well； what？
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Do you think it's perfectly safe？
＇She rises in her berth； and looks up over the edge of the upper。＇
AUNT MARY。 I suppose so。 It's a well…managed road。 They've got the
air…brake； I've heard； and the Miller platform； and all those horrid
things。 What makes you introduce such unpleasant subjects？
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Oh； I don't mean accidents。 But； you know； when you
turn； it does creak so awfully。 I shouldn't mind myself； but the
baby …
AUNT MARY。 Why； child； do you think I'm going to break through？ I
couldn't。 I'm one of the LIGHTEST sleepers in the world。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Yes； I know you're a light sleeper； butbut it
doesn't seem quite the same thing； somehow。
AUNT MARY。 But it is； it's quite the same thing； and you can be
perfectly easy in your mind； my dear。 I should be quite as loth to
break through as you would to have me。 Good…night。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Yes； good…night； Aunty！
AUNT MARY。 Well？
MRS。 ROBERTS。 You ought to just see him； how he's lying。 He's a
perfect log。 COULDN'T you just bend over； and peep down at him a
moment？
AUNT MARY。 Bend over！ It would be the death of me。 Good…night。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Good…night。 Did you put the glass into my bag or
yours？ I feel so very thirsty； and I want to go and get some water。
I'm sure I don't know why I should be thirsty。 Are you； Aunt Mary？
Ah！ here it is。 Don't disturb yourself； aunty； I've found it。 It
was in my bag； just where I'd put it myself。 But all this trouble
about Willis has made me so fidgety that I don't know where anything
is。 And now I don't know how to manage about the baby while I go
after the water。 He's sleeping soundly enough now； but if he should
happen to get into one of his rolling moods； he might tumble out on
to the floor。 Never mind； aunty； I've thought of something。 I'll
just barricade him with these bags and shawls。 Now； old fellow； roll
as much as you like。 If you should happen to hear him stir； aunty；
won't youaunty！ Oh； dear！ she's asleep already； and what shall I
do？ ＇While MRS。 ROBERTS continues talking； various notes of protest；
profane and otherwise； make themselves heard from different berths。＇
I know。 I'll make a bold dash for the water； and be back in an
instant； baby。 Now； don't you move； you little rogue。 ＇She runs to
the water…tank at the end of the car； and then back to her berth。＇
Now； baby； here's mamma again。 Are you all right； mamma's own？
＇A shaggy head and bearded face are thrust from the curtains of the
next berth。＇
THE STRANGER。 Look here； ma'am。 I don't want to be disagreeable
about this thing； and I hope you won't take any offence； but the fact
is； I'm half dead for want of sleep； and if you'll only keep quiet
now a little while； I'll promise not to speak above my breath if ever
I find you on a sleeping…car after you've come straight through from
San Francisco； day and night； and not been able to get more than
about a quarter of your usual allowance of restI will indeed。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 I'm very sorry that I've disturbed you； and I'll try
to be more quiet。 I didn't suppose I was speaking so loud； but the
cars keep up such a rattling that you never can tell how loud you ARE
speaking。 Did I understand you to say that you were from California？
THE CALIFORNIAN。 Yes； ma'am。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 San Francisco？
THE CALIFORNIAN。 Yes； ma'am。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Thanks。 It's a terribly long journey； isn't it？ I
know quite how to feel for you。 I've a brother myself coming on。 In
fact we expected him before this。 ＇She scans his face as sharply as
the lamp…light will allow； and continues； after a brief hesitation。＇
It's always such a silly question to ask a person； and I suppose San
Francisco is a large place； with a great many people always coming
and going； so that it would be only one chance in a thousand if you
did。
THE CALIFORNIAN （patiently）。 Did what； ma'am？
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Oh； I was just wondering if it was possiblebut of
course it isn't； and it's very flat to askthat you'd ever happened
to meet my brother there。 His name is Willis Campbell。
THE CALIFORNIAN （with more interest）。 Campbell？ Campbell？ Yes； I
know a man of that name。 But I disremember his first name。 Little
low fellowpretty chunky？
MRS。 ROBERTS。 I don't know。 Do you mean short and stout？
THE CALIFORNIAN。 Yes； ma'am。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 I'm sure I can't tell。 It's a great many years since
he went out there； and I've never seen him in all that time。 I
thought if you DID happen to know himHe's a lawyer。
THE CALIFORNIAN。 It's quite likely I know him； and in the morning；
ma'am …
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Oh； excuse me。 I'm very sorry to have kept you so
long awake with my silly questions。
THE MAN IN THE UPPER BERTH。 Don't apologize； madam。 I'm not a
Californian myself； but I'm an orphan； and away from home； and I
thank you； on behalf of all our fellow…passengers； for the mental
refreshment that your conversation has afforded us。 _I_ could lie
here and listen to it all night； but there are invalids in some of
these berths； and perhaps on their account it will be as well to
defer everything till the morning； as our friend suggests。 Allow me
to wish you pleasant dreams； madam。
＇THE CALIFORNIAN； while MRS。 ROBERTS shrinks back under the curtain
of her berth in dismay； and stammers some inaudible excuse； slowly