Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-12-19

journalistic instincts to their fullest
activity, something which sent him
running up and down the train for a
doctor, something which exasperated
him strangely when all his exertions
failed to find one. Obviously there was
no medical man living near. The spot
at which the journey had been inter
rupted in this startling manner was
close to the Evesham woods, several
miles away from the nearest village.
Mr.. Yorke ran back to the carriage
he had been occupying, made an excited
communication TO his fellow traveller
there, and begged him to come down
and corroborate his observation. The
gentleman complied, with much com
posture and discretion, in accordance
with the warning he received, and with
out remark other than q whispered
comment to Mr.. Yorke.
The journalist expressed his deter
mination of staying behind, and up
pealed to this railway acquaintance to
remain with him. But the latter as
sured him that it was utterly impos-
sible. He left his name and address,
however, promising to come forward
when called upon. Mr.. Yorke next
turned to the tall passenger, introduce
ing himself as newspaper man. The
tall passenger, who had been scowling
blackly over Mr.. Yorke's intervention,
looked greatly relieved upon hearing
that gentleman's profession, and read
lily consented to give his version of the
matter for publication. But, first of
all, he desired that note should be
taken, before the guard went on with
the train, that that official admitted
the accident was due to the negligence
of the railroad company.
That's right, Mr.. Gresswell," said the
guard, with bloodless lips.
"Well, just tell this gentleman about
it," rejoined the passenger, sharply, and
in tone of annoyance. .s
The guard recovered something of
his composure, apparently, as the eff
feet of this asperity, and proceeded:
"a few moments before the-the ia
tality, l happened to look along the
train, and i noticed that the handle
of this gentleman's compartment was
not fastened"
"How did you know it was this gen.
tleman's compartment from that dis
tance?" interjected Mr.. Yorke.
''Of course he didn't know until he
got there" put in Mr.. Gresswell, has
thy.
mo, of course, didn't know until I
got there" repeated the guard. 81
suppose, looking back, now it's all over,
it would have been wiser to have
stopped the train, but we were slack
ing down our speed passing Evesham
Woods, as we always do, and the car
raige was not far behind my van, so L
started out to turn the handle. The
lady fell out just as l was about to
reach the door. With another step
could have prevented the accident"
"Did she fall out backwards or face
foremost?" asked the journalist.
"Oh, backwards, sir" was the an
swer.
mo, / think you're wrong, guard"
again interposed Mr.. Gresswell, with a
snap.
guard, placing shaking hand to his
clammy brow. ayes, she fell face
foremost, of course. l can see her
now"
Before a parn-door, to do duty as an
improvised stretcher, had been fetched
from the little lonely cottage few
hundred yards away, the train had pro-
ceeded upon it's journey, and the guard
had left the scene of the tragedy with
obvious relief. There was no doctor
within five or six miles, MIR. Yorke
heard with intense chagrin; and
though a messenger was started at
once he had to do the journey on foot.
In the meantime the tall passenger,
or, as the guard had called him, Mr..
Gresswell, told the journalist the story
he desired to have published. His wife,
he said, had suffered from a painful i'll
ness, which he specified, and had been
under the care of DR.. Steinway, of Vic
toria street. He was taking her down
to the seaside at her own wish. Ger
tain suspicious which had been form
ing in Mr.. Yorke's mind took definite
shape from the moment of this lame
explanation. If he now became an APP
parently more sympathetic listener, it
was by dint of the stimulation which
discretion suggested as a cloak to the
hostility which began to take posses
sion of him.
''My wife rose to see if it was rain
ing" proceeded Mr.. Gresswell, land
looked out of the window"
An obvious lie, reflected Mr.. Yorke,
for the person who was lifted into the
carriage in the helpless condition of
this invalid could not rise and go to the
window unassisted. But he said moth
ing.
"As looked around" continued the
bereaved husband, Il saw her falling
forward. Iclutched at her, just caught
the edges of her dress, and it came away
in my grasp as she disappeared through
the door which had been SO negligently
left unfastened. Here is piece of ma
terial which was left in my grasp, and
here is the place from which it was
rent"
Now Mr.. Yorke saw the reason for
that contradiction of the guard by Mr..
Gresswell, and the necessity for the