Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05

at once and waving their arms under Herias nose.
She attempted replies; but the noise deafenng and
no one listened to her. Peasants working in the fields
nearby who had heard the crash came running and
added their numbers and temperanlens to the Babel
The gatekeeper thrust herself violently into the midst
of the group pointing at the wreck OF the machine and
at Heriia aer remarks unnelligible to the train
crew as they were to Markham. Hernia stood her
ground but when of the train seized her by
the arm and thrust his grmy face close to her own she
grew pale and drew back
shove that sent him sprawling There pause. and
for moment matters looked difficult; but Markham
mounted the embankment, drew Hernia up beside him,
put his back against car, held up his hand ana IN
French demanded silence. His voice rang true, and
they listened He had the accident from the road,
and would bear witness 1t not the fault of the
gatekeeper of the lady who drove the car 1t was
simply accident in which lives had fortunately been
spared The axle of the machine had broken upon the
track. If there any claim for damages, he would
testify that the engineer was not to blame
A man in peasants snock from a nelghbor1ng held,
who it appeared, held local office of authority,
now took hand in the investigation, and after num-
Der of questions of Hernia and the gatekeeper sent the
train upon its way.
Amid the turmoil of the gatekeeper, who
counting the affair to the latest arrivals, HERNIA
watched the train passed between the fragments OF
what few minutes before had been new French ma
chine. Some of the peasants had already gathered
round The wreck and of them restored her leather
bag which had been tossed distance into the ditch
To all appearances this the only salvage. and she
took it gratefully. walk down the track convinced
Markham that what was left of the was tit only tor
the scrapheap And as the crowd still surrounded Her
mia he put his in hers and led her away She toll
lowed him silently up the road by which she had come
until they had left the gaping crowd behind them Then
he made her sit bank by the roadside and unsngng
his knapsack dropped beside her.
XIELL?" he asked
w She looked down the road toward the scene of
her misfortune the smile, half plaintive half whimsical
that had been lowering her lips suddenly breaking
aft you scold me, | shall cry
"Im not going scold,' he said kindly. "That
wouldn't help matters.
at was such beautiful piece of mechanism-so
human-so intelligent tear trembled on her lashes
and fell-@and I've had it only two days'
She was the child with broken toy. 1t was the child
he wanted to comfort
I'm sorry, he said genuinely. II wish could put
it together for you again.
@Its gone-irretrevably There's nothing to be done,
of course" And then, 4Oh! it cruel! The
thing cried out like wounded animal. You heard it,
didn't you? And it all my fault. That's what
hurts So"
zone gets over being hurt but one doesn't get
being dead You missed being killed only by the part
OF a second"
She dashed the tears from her eyes with the back OF
her hand. ooh, know. And I'm awfuly grateful.
really am l don't know why didn't jump sooner. l
saw the train too. l simply couldn't move. seemed
to be glued there-un you shouted. 1t was lucky you
there"
She buried her face in her hands moment, and when
she Strengthened was quite calm again.
"It's all over now Mr.. Markham and I'm awfuly
Obliged she said with laugh "You seem fated to be