The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-07-19

at his train book, and then out OF
the window.
IT'S the tidal he shouted, the
signalman's clean forgot 1t. Come
on get the people of the line
1--WE hurried on, and pulled those
on the trucks off to the embank-
ment. There was hardly time for
anything. The tidal train-at that
time q new train on our line. sir
was running fast, and it came sweep
ing round the corner, slipping and
sliding; while our engine men were
trying to back the wedding train of
the points and clear them.
But there wasn't a minute. Every
one saw the danger. A couple of
yards to spare would have made
things safe. No use to try morel
The men leaped on. Tom pulled Ell
len out; he tried to get her away,
and he would have only she vas SO
frightened, and chung to him so
SO tightly. She might have escaped
with him, but as 1t was she impeded
him. She flung her arms close
around Tom, and embraced him.
But he shook her off; there was no
time for kissing then. She fell; he
dragged her clear Of the crash; but
a splinter struck her, and cut into
her neck, severing an artery. She
lay bleeding to death almost, when
a gentleman, a doctor, ran up and
helped her. She was carried to the
cottage hospital, dying, sir!
Tom had a narrow escape, and
when he fancied Nellie was safe he
assisted the tidal passengers. From
one of the very first compartments
he dragged out an ~insensible girl,
and when he looked at her he nearly
dropped her light form.
she was Phoebe Mayburn!
Phoebe in his armsl Wa she dead?
Dead! Oh, misery If SO, thinks 1.
But maybe best.
He laid her gently down, and
tried to ascertain whether she still
lived. Yes, her heart was beating.
He waited. She would recover. OBJ
livious of all else. he awaited her re-
turn to life. She opened her eyes,
saw him kneeling beside her. and
seemed scared; but In a minute she
knew him, and crying out, oh, Tom,
Tom; my darling Toni she tainted
In his arms again, at once.
This was a most perplexing pre-
dicament for Tom Deane. He had
made up his mind SO completely
that she was false that he knelt like
a man struck. But when she came
to she Rugged him, and seemed hurt
at his behavior and GOODNESS. He
got her away after a while, but his
appearance was terrible. He had
made a discovery. Phoebe loved
him as well as ever, and he loved
her still.
Making inquiries, he was guided
to the hospital where Nellie lay. He
was admitted; and his tears dropped
on her hand as he pressed it pitifully
in his own. She was so weak and
pale! An hour before she had been
full Of life and health, joyous, If
anxious. Now she was a wreck,
bruised, dying; and as she gently
returned the pressure of his fingers,
she whispered
Tom, will you forgive me? l
am dying. Oh, forgive me, dear! |
loved you we'll; indeed | did. But
you never loved me like you loved
Phoebe
"fYes, Nell, yes he mnttered,
oh, don't talk of dying.
~ must tell you,' she gasped.
oh, Tom. / loved you from the first
day we met, and | vowed I would
make you marry me; l did. I'm
ashamed to say it-but I loved you,
dear. Phoebe went away, and l de-
ceived you. I stopped her letters;
l made up her messages to you. Tom,
l am rightly punished. l cannot be
your wife, dear; but you VIII marry
her when she comes back
She is back he murmured, too
stunned to think much or to reply
to her prayers for forgiveness.
Phoebe was in the tidal" that
smashed US up
1t is the Lords viii. see His
hand in it, murmured the dying We
man. God forgive mel Tom, kiss
me once more
He kissed her, sir; and when he
told>me this himself, he cried at the
very remembrance of 1t, days after.
Heaven bless you, Nellie. / for
give you, my lass. Say no more, my
girl; say 10 more!'
Il came up myself, sir, after
this, to inquire, and managed to look
in. There was the nurse and the
doctor looking on the bed, and be-
side it was sitting poor Tom Deane,
holding the cold. dead hand of NeL
lie Askhern.
1T was a sad time. sir; but luck
lily Phoebe Mayburn was spared the
details. She had a eoncussion, and
when she at length recovered she
couldn't think of, or remember, the
accident; and knew nothing of the
details fer many a month. She beg
ged Tom to tell her why he had