The train had stopped.  They were on the platform.  Mr. Graham led Hilda up to a stout, motherly-looking woman, who held out her hand with a beaming smile.

“Here is my daughter, Mrs. Hartley!” he said, hastily.  “You will take good care of her, I know.  My darling, good-by!  I go on to Dashford, and home by return train in an hour.  God bless you, my Hilda!  Courage!  Up, Guards, and at them!  Remember Waterloo!” and he was gone.  The engine shrieked an unearthly “Good-by!” and the train rumbled away, leaving Hilda gazing after it through a mist which only her strong will prevented from dissolving in tears.

“Well, my dear,” said Dame Hartley’s cheery voice, “your papa’s gone, and you must not stand here and fret after him.  Here is old Nancy shaking her head, and wondering why she does not get home to her dinner.  Do you get into the cart, and I will get the station-master to put your trunk in for us.”

Hilda obeyed in silence; and climbing into the neat wagon, took her seat and looked about her while Dame Hartley bustled off in search of the station-master.  There was not very much to look at at Glenfield station.  The low wooden building with its long platform stood on a bare spot of ground, from which the trees all stood back, as if to mark their disapproval of the railway and all that belonged to it.  The sandy soil made little attempt to produce vegetation, but put out little humps of rock occasionally, to show what it could do.  Behind, a road led off into the woods, hiding itself behind the low-hanging branches of chestnut and maple, ash and linden trees.  That was all.  Now that the train was gone, the silence was unbroken save by the impatient movements of the old white mare as she shook the flies off and rattled the jingling harness.

Hilda was too weary to think.  She had slept little the night before, and the suddenness of the recent changes confused her mind and made her feel as if she were some one else, and not herself at all.  She sat patiently, counting half-unconsciously each quiver of Nancy’s ears.  But now Dame Hartley came bustling back with the station-master, and between the two, Hilda’s trunk was hoisted into the cart.  Then the good woman climbed in over the wheel, settled her ample person on the seat and gathered up the reins, while the station-master stood smoothing the mare’s mane, ready for a parting word of friendly gossip.

“Jacob pooty smart!” he asked, brushing a fly from Nancy’s shoulder.

“Only middling,” was the reply.  “He had a touch o’ rheumatiz, that last spell of wet weather, and it seems to hang on, kind of.  Ketches him in the joints and the small of his back if he rises up suddin.”

“I know!  I know!” replied the station-master, with eager interest.  “Jest like my spells ketches me; on’y I have it powerful bad acrost my shoulders, too.  I been kerryin’ a potato in my pocket f’r over and above a week now, and I’m in hopes ’t’ll cure me.”