"I'll lock the door again, miss. You are all right now till you get to Victoria."
"Thank you, very much."
This dialogue sounded faintly in her ears, she had no clear perception that she had taken part in it. In another minute she was fast asleep with her head resting in the corner of the carriage and a soft smile upon her lips.
After her eyelids closed and she became unconscious in sleep, the following dialogue took place on the platform, outside the window of her carriage:
"You are not to go in there, sir, that compartment is engaged."
"Third class compartment engaged! Rubbish! Open the door, I say, at once!"
"No, sir, I cannot. I do not mean that the compartment is engaged by paying for it."
"Open it this instant."
"The lady has been very ill of some catching complaint and must travel alone. See, she is asleep."
"No matter. I too am very ill of a catching complaint. Open the door. You wont! Oh, it doesn't make any difference, I'll open it myself. I always carry a key. Porter, you have lost a shilling. But there, I won't be vindictive, here's a shilling for being good to the lady. She is a friend of mine. You are doing well this morning, porter. She paid you first for reserving the compartment, then I pay you instead of reporting you for being impertinent and corrupt."