“‘Now you are unkind.’

“’A person is not accountable for temper when famishing.  Take up your satchel.’

“We found the house a most every-day-looking house, seen by sunlight; but there had lain the difficulty.  The clerk in the office did not particularly resemble a cutthroat, or even a cutpurse, and, strange to say, did not overcharge us:  in fact, he behaved very civilly.  We found we were not far from the station, and depositing our bags there, we walked down the beautiful Rue La Fayette.

“‘It is a great deal pleasanter to travel alone in this way,’ said Nan gayly, her spirits rising in the delightful air.  ’When I was here before with all the family, it was not near so jolly; and I think we manage well, don’t you?  Oh, there is an omnibus not complet:  let us get in.  I am too hungry to walk.’

“After we were seated she continued:  ’I wonder what will happen to us to-night.  Suppose we find every place full, and have to sleep in a garden or on the steps of a church, or something?  Isn’t it delightful not to know in the least what is going to happen next?—­just as in fairy-land.  Don’t you hope we may have an adventure every night?’

“’I should not call last night an adventure:  it seems to me it was more like a panic,’ I said drily.

“‘You will never let anything be agreeable,’ in a hurt tone:  then recovering her good temper, she went on:  ’Well, call it a panic if you like.  Now, suppose we had one every night, and we stayed here two weeks, there would be fourteen panics before we go home.  Wouldn’t that be glorious?’

“‘You did not appear to enjoy it so much last night.’

“‘At the time I did not,’ she admitted frankly.  ’Weren’t we frightened?  But then, you know, how nice it will be to talk of it afterward!’

“We arrived at a restaurant in the Palais Royal, and found a seat by the window, and a breakfast.  We had already finished the latter, and were playing with our fruit, when a party entered who attracted our attention by speaking English.

“‘One of them is Miss Rodgers,’ Annie whispered excitedly.  ’I know her well:  hadn’t we better run away?  What will she think of our being here alone?’

“’Nonsense!  You had better ask her where she is staying.  Remember, we are houseless as yet.’

“‘I don’t like to ask her.’

“‘Introduce me:  I will ask.’  The idea of spending the night in a garden or on a church-step did not possess the same charms for me as for Nan.  Thus prompted, she walked forward and spoke to her friend, afterward presenting me.  We chatted a few minutes, when Miss Rodgers asked Annie where she was staying, and how her mamma was.

“‘Mamma is not with us,’ was Nan’s embarrassed reply.

“I went to her rescue, and diverted the questions by asking some myself:  ’Miss Rodgers, where are you staying?  We do not like our hotel and want to change.’

“’There is not a room in our house that is unoccupied, and you won’t find good accommodation anywhere.  You had better not change if you have a place to lay your head.  Paris is so crowded that everything has been taken up long ago.  You can ask at a dozen hotels or boarding-houses and not find a garret to let.  You have no idea of the difficulty.’