The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1902-09-05
The Moment Of Vision.
BY WILLIAM MLEoD RAINE.

BY WILLIAM MLEOD RAlNE.
Copyright. 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Coz
She held out the ring to him, smil-
ing In rather uncertain fashion, but
Esterley noticed that she was very
white. He was savagely glad Of it,
for at the time he was cold as ice and
hard as iron.
Has the last word been said?" he
asked without a trace Of emotion in
his voice. Are you going to turn me
away on account of a little thing like
this?"
you may call it a little thing If you
like. l don't. When one finds the
man she is engaged to marry flirting
with"
I wasn't flirting. l have told you
that before" he answered doggedly.
But Of n thing you may be sure,
Elise. II you send me away now 1
shall not return to you"
You hatter yourself, sir, in think
ing 1 shall want you back" she re-
torted. Shall l lay the ring on the
table, or will you take it?"
He dropped the ring into his vest
pocket, bowed coldly, and turned on
his heel. Next moment the street
door had changed behind him. The girl
sank into a chair and covered her face
with her hands. Presently deep sobs
began to shake her. Meanwhile Ned
Esterley, in a moody, frownlng silence,
strobe down to the Union Depot with
his suitcase In his hand. Fifteen min
utes later he was on a train bound for
Cripple Creek. He gazed out Of the
window without seeing any of the
glory Of the winter sunshine, which
fell in a sheen of splendor on the
~white-blue range Of peaks in the dis
lance. He was sick at heart, and bit
ter against the girl who had 'misjudged
him. What right had she to SEN
tence him before she had heard his
~vindication? What right to vote him
guilty Of disloyalty because she had
found him with Kate Sanford's hand
in his, her eyes swimming In tears?
An hour passed, two hours; but
Esterley took no thought Of the flight
Of time. It might be FIVE minutes
since he had entered the train, or
it might be five hours. He neither
knew nor cared. His personal problem
drove from his mind other ~considera-
lions.
II Elise were going to believe
There came a sudden jar, which
threw Esterley forward against the
seat in front Of him. He did not need
to be told that the engine had been
reversed, and the airbrakes set. There
came to him the sharp grinding Of
wheels on the track, and with it the
gradual lessenihg Of speed. A moment
later there was a horrible crash. The
floor Of the car rose to meet the roof.
The last that Esterley remembered
was p%lunging forward through the air.
When he came to himself, he found
about him a great pile of debris. He
vas deep hidden in what remained Of
the cara mass Of broken timbers, Of
torn Iron and of wrenched steel rods
and some ten feet above him was the
open air. A white dead face stared at
him through the broken wreckage.
Gingerly Esterley moved first one arm
and then the other. They were free,
and he went over himself coolly to es-
innate the damage. Except for a cut
in the head he vas quite unhurt, but
his legs were pinned down between two
great timbers beyond the hope Of ex-
%trication. He tied a handkerchief
around his cut head, and began his
attempt to free himself. Had the
timbars come two inches nearer to-
gether, his ankles would have been