San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-09
N (SS
A " AS
s> DOUGLAS GRANT
DOUSL AS GRANT
q as4 NsA SERVICE INC

We but wishin yc luck if ye have to
| 60"
He kissed her and not trusting
| himself to say any more. turned and
went out past the dark little parlor
to the front door. When he had
| closed it behind him he went slowly
down the path TO the gate and
paused there leaning upon it and
looking IN and down the struggling
lane.
At the right it terminated abrupt
ly at the railroad bridge and only ash
ncaps and grimy factories doomed be-
yond. but TO the left after reaching
the end of the row of little double
houses it dwindled into mere path,
skirting vacant lots and boys to the
suburban trolley line.
Mike thrust his hands in his
pockets and with lowered head saun-
tered slowly in that direction. A few
lamps still gimmered from the little
houses but the ones at the end of the
row were deserted and falling into de-
cay and the winding path lay in dense
darkness ahead.
After a quarter of a mile. however,
the rows OF lights marking the troll
ley line came into view and as the hum
of an approaching car reached his ears
Mike quickened his pace and finally
broke into "A run. swinging himself
aboard the back platform just in the
nick of time.
Hello. George" he exclaimed
briskly. '.You haven't got much of a
load going into town this trip"
The lanky. rawboncd conductor
followed his glance into the interior
OF the car. where only q few work
men returning from suburban jobs
slouched drowsily in the crOss-septs
and responded grimly:
Its been busy enough these last
few days. sergeant. Folks from
miles around piled in to see the
wreck of the Arrow and we had y
time of handlin' the crowds. tell
you. Fiercest thing ever hit Shafts
town. Was you therc?"
Not when it happened. Mike
lighted cigarette but his hand
trembled and he forbore to look down
ward at the cleared tracks cleaning
below as they ratified onto the rail
road bridge. Were you on that early
shift Tuesday morning.
Just a-past here on the incoming
trip like we are now. when the crash
camc.' There was n touch of awe in
the conductors tone. Pretty near
broke every 'winder in the car and
then the explosion followed and be-
fore we got up TO the town square
the glare back of us wOuld've made
you think Roundhousc Lane and all
the factories near was goin' up in
smoke. too :"
Bet you had crowd when you
started back" Mike observed.
I'll say I did" his companion
acquicsced with emphasis as they sped
on toward the lights of the town.
LOT of your boys from the station
houses and all the volunteer firemen
who couldn't get to hang on to the
engines in time. They all got Off.
though. Mt the furthest end of the
bridge and out on the meadows beyond
Roundhousc Lane. just where l picked
you up tonight i got fare of an.
other sort first one off the wreck, j
guess"
"Injurcd?' Mike queried with as
sumed carclessness.
"Well. she limped. and she was
shakin' so could hardly help her
aboard and to seat. ] was scared
she tOpple over III taint on III!
hands but she didn't: just sat there,
GOVERN her eyes as if to shut out
the sight of what she'd been through"
''Wcll. maybe she was old suS-
gestcd Mike tentatively. ;-,
mo. Stree" the other retortel.
"Shc was young and mighty pretty
what you could see of her through
that heavy brown veil she had on.
but she only shook her head when |
asked her if she'd been in the wreck.
and was hurt. After n while. when
we were gettin' into Kingsville she
asked if we was goin' near any other
railroad line runnin' into New York.
so put her down TO Kingsville sta
ton. though she'd have couple Of
hours to wait. and she was limpin'
worse than ever
Guess you're right, George: sht
must have come from the wreck.
Mike added. Especially if she had
any handbags or ANYTHING with her"
Now l come to think of it she did
have bag-a black one. and real
handsome, though the brown suit she