While riding on the cars she perceived that a man and woman, fellow-passengers, were eying her with no little curiosity.
What had attracted their attention she was at a loss to know, and for a time it irritated her.
But, turning to the window, she, by interesting herself in a magazine, tried to forget it.
And, becoming interested in her story, she did forget it, and was only started from her interest by seeing a man seat himself in the chair next to her.
For a time she paid no attention to this person, except to observe that he was a man apparently of thirty-five, wearing a closely-clipped brown beard and brown mustache, his hair cut very short.
Her book slipping from her lap gave this man the opportunity for which evidently he had been looking.
Picking it up, he returned it to Ida, receiving her thanks for his courtesy, and then attempted to enter into conversation with her.
However, making no reply to his remarks, when he persisted she swung her chair about so that she presented her back to the man.
She was aware that the man was angry, but she gave little heed to that, merely turning to satisfy herself that the man was not the one who, with the lady, had a little time before annoyed her by their close watchfulness of her.
She had not sat in this position but a little time, when the lady before mentioned arose from her seat, and crossing the car, sat down in the empty seat which Ida was now facing.