[The passengers emerge from their berths in various deshabille and bewilderment.]

THE CONDUCTOR (to MR. ROBERTS).  Have you been making all this row, waking up my passengers?

THE CALIFORNIAN.  No, sir, he hasn’t.  I’ve been making this row.  This gentleman was peaceably looking for his wife, and I misunderstood him.  You want to say anything to me?

THE CONDUCTOR (silently taking THE CALIFORNIAN’S measure with his eye, as he stands six fret in his stockings).  If I did, I’d get the biggest brakeman I could find to do it for me. I’ve got nothing to say except that I think you’d better all go back to bed again.

[He goes out, and the passengers disappear one by one, leaving the ROBERTSES and THE CALIFORNIAN alone.]

THE CALIFORNIAN (to MR. ROBERTS).  Stranger, I’m sorry I got you into this scrape.

MR. ROBERTS.  Oh, don’t speak of it, my dear sir.  I’m sure we owe you all sorts of apologies, which I shall be most happy to offer you at my house in Boston, with every needful explanation. [He takes out his card, and gives it to THE CALIFORNIAN, who looks at it, and then looks at MR. ROBERTS curiously.] There’s my address, and I’m sure we shall both be glad to have you call.

MRS. ROBERTS.  Oh, yes indeed. [THE CALIFORNIAN parts the curtains of his berth to re-enter it.] Good-night, sir, and I assure you we shall do nothing more to disturb you—­shall we, Edward?

MR. ROBERTS.  No.  And now, dear, I think you’d better go back to your berth.

MRS. ROBERTS.  I couldn’t sleep, and I shall not go back.  Is this your place?  I will just rest my head on your shoulder; and we must both be perfectly quiet.  You’ve no idea what a nuisance I have been making of myself.  The whole car was perfectly furious at me one time, I kept talking so loud.  I don’t know how I came to do it, but I suppose it was thinking about you and Willis meeting without knowing each other made me nervous, and I couldn’t be still.  I woke everybody up with my talking, and some of them were quite outrageous in their remarks; but I didn’t blame them the least bit, for I should have been just as bad.  That California gentleman was perfectly splendid, though.  I can tell you he made them stop.  We struck up quite a friendship.  I told him I had a brother coming on from California, and he’s going to try to think whether he knows Willis. [Groans and inarticulate protests make themselves heard from different berths.] I declare, I’ve got to talking again!  There, now, I shall stop, and they won’t hear another squeak from me the rest of the night. [She lifts her head from her husband’s shoulder.] I wonder if baby will roll out.  He does kick so!  And I just sprang up and left him when I heard your voice, without putting anything to keep him in.  I must go and have a look at him, or I never can settle down.  No, no, don’t you go,