The mother turned away abruptly.

It was not unusual for persons from the parlour-cars to ask leave to walk through the emigrants'.
But Elizabeth's companion said a few words to her, apparently in Russian, and Elizabeth, stooping over her, held out the milk.

Then a dark face reluctantly showed itself, and great black eyes, in deep, lined sockets; eyes rather of a race than a person, hardly conscious, hardly individualised, yet most poignant, expressing some feeling, remote and inarticulate, that roused Elizabeth's.

She called to the conductor for a cup and a spoon; she made her way into the malodorous kitchen, and got some warm water and sugar; then kneeling by the child, she put a spoonful of the diluted and sweetened milk into the mother's hand.
* * * * * "Was it foolish of me to offer her that money ?" said Elizabeth with flushed cheeks as they walked back through the rain.

"They looked so terribly poor." The Canadian smiled.
"I daresay it didn't do any harm," he said indulgently.