He laughed nervously: "Is that all? Why, of course I shall! I'll guarantee that it is restored to its rightful owner if you wish."
"Will you? If you do that——" she drew a long, sighing breath, "it will be a relief to me—such a wonderful relief!" She clasped her gloved hands tightly on her knee, smiled at him breathlessly.
"I don't suppose you will ever know what you[232] have done for me. I could never adequately express my deep, deep gratitude to you——"
"But—I am doing nothing except shipping back an overcoat——"
"Ah—if you only knew what you really are doing for me! You are helping me in the direst hour of need I ever knew. You are aiding me to regain control over my own destiny! You are standing by me in the nick of time, sheltering me, encouraging me, giving me a moment's respite until I can become mistress of my own fate once more."
The girl had ended with a warmth, earnestness and emotion which she seemed to be unable to control. Evidently she had been very much shaken, and in the blessed relief from the strain the reaction was gathering intensity.
They sat in silence for a few moments; then she looked up, nervously twisting her gloved fingers.
"I am sorry," she said in a low voice, "not to exhibit reticence and proper self-control before a—a stranger.... But I—I have been—rather badly—frightened."
"Nothing need frighten you now," he said.
"I thought so, too. I thought that as soon as I left New York it would be all right. But—but[233] the first thing I saw in my stateroom was that overcoat! And the next thing that occurred was—was almost—stupefying. Until I boarded this milk-train, I think I must have been almost irresponsible from sheer fright."