Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-21
Chapter XIV.

A cabman stood close at hand, and in an
other moment 1 was whirlng rapidly to-
ward the station. Once there, l called for
a ticket to Ashland Junction, and was re-
fused.
I'VE are not selling tickets there just
now, madam the agent said There $
been an accident and only the wrecklns
trains and the doctors can go
/ turned away in despair. but caught
sight of DR.. Jenkins, man whom l knew
well. | ran to him at once.
.'Oh, take me with you l pleaded Joe
my husband, was on that train
Poor thing he murmured. Its not
according to Hoyle but l reckon L can
manage it" He took me along with him
and hurried me on to a train that stood
out in the yard. There were plenty OF
appliances for the relief of the wrecked
party, and dozen surgeons in the onf
day coach
An hours ride from Chicago is Ash
land Junction, place not ON any map. Bu'
that hour was an eternity 10 me
an eternity when my soul Wen
with the angel of God. | compre-
hended in that hour, when Joe rate was
all unknownAto me, how utterly Selflsh l
was | saw how untrue l had been. in
spirit if not in deed. l saw how unworthy
[ was to have little children with clean,
white, receptive souls 1ntrusted TO my
care. | saw the whole of my petty ambl-
lions and unworthy selfishness. and l
loathed myself l alternated between
hope and dread. trembling every moment
lest we come suddenly upon Ashland
Junction, and yet wondering why we
were so long. In fact, l lived through
years of agony during that ride of sixty
minutes. l forgot my anger of the night
before. l prayed God l might find my
husband alive, that / might have one
chance to confess myself in the wrong
and beg his forgiveness.
At last the train stopped. There was
nothing at the junction but station ana
a store, and we found them deserted,
every one having gone over to the en-
bankment. | followed the doctors as they
hurried across the tracks to the wrecked
train, for in the face of their immediate
duty they forgot me entirely. Let So
ciety belle go with a party of surgeons
where danger calls them if she would
test her real power. For men are men at
such times, and the pretty woman does
not live who can hold them in the race OF
really suffering humanity.
l could not keep pace with their root
steps, and was a considerable distance
behind when / saw. coming up the pank
close beside me. big, burly hgure. lie
came straight toward me with MS dflhS
outStretched
Joe" / screamed and in another mo-
ment we were wrapped in a close en-
brace. and l knew the rapturous JOY OF
complete self-surrender.
soon as he could speak. You came all
this way for me?'
"Oh, Joe. daTlingr' / tried to go on. but
broke down and cried into the foids oil
his great overcoat-
There. there, Jackie" he murmured'
stroking my head quietly. You We mad a
dreadful scare, but it's not so bad as you
thought. I'm as sound as ! was the day L
was born No one is killed; no one is
seriously injured. although we all had a
pretty narrow escape. The station agent
is very young and was terrlply scared:
the Associated Press That is why the
story went out it did. But L don t
mind since it brought us together again.
| was weeping silently, gratefully, CHING
ing tightly to him; but 1 found voice
enough to say:
"Oh, Joe, forgive me! I've been all
wrong: forgive me-.
We've both been wrong. dear, he SAID
I've been harsh and unfeeling. I've been
realizing it. too. only / wouldn't own up
like a man. | guess it needed this snake
up to bring us together. l should nave
sailed for Europe tomorrow.