Excerpt: ...back over the long stretch of roadbed. "Isn't that an engine coming?" some one asked excitedly at her side. She turned and found Miss Thursdale, attended by a gentleman, to whom the question was addressed. "I believe-yes, it is, Miss Thursdale." "Then-then we'll all be taken back to the city," she said dejectedly. "I fancy not. It's probably bringing relief." "They-they may be bringing bad news," Eleanor groaned. "Oh, Miss Courtenay, how do you do-again? How is your-your grandmother, wasn't it?" "I-I-yes, I ...
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Excerpt: ...back over the long stretch of roadbed. "Isn't that an engine coming?" some one asked excitedly at her side. She turned and found Miss Thursdale, attended by a gentleman, to whom the question was addressed. "I believe-yes, it is, Miss Thursdale." "Then-then we'll all be taken back to the city," she said dejectedly. "I fancy not. It's probably bringing relief." "They-they may be bringing bad news," Eleanor groaned. "Oh, Miss Courtenay, how do you do-again? How is your-your grandmother, wasn't it?" "I-I-yes, I think so-I mean, I think she's no better. They may be bringing his body!" said the other girl, her eyes fixed on the distant locomotive. "Oh!" almost screamed Eleanor, and stared wildly without words. A brakeman far down the track was flagging the locomotive; it came to a stop, and several men were seen climbing down from the cab. Two of them eventually disengaged themselves from the little group and hurried forward. One was carrying a suitcase, and both walked as though they were either in pain or attended by extreme old age. "Why-why-" gasped Eleanor, "it's Joe!" "And-yes, thank God, it's Har-Mr. Windomshire," almost shrieked Anne. Then they turned and looked at each other in confusion. Neither had the courage to carry out the desire to fly to the arms of the man she longed to see more than all else in the world. They felt themselves to be caught red-handed. CHAPTER IV MRS. VAN TRUDER INTRUDES None but the most eager, loving eyes could possibly have recognised the newcomers. It is not unlikely that the remaining passengers mistook them for tramps. The rivals, morbidly suspicious of each other, taciturn to the point of unfriendliness, had indeed chartered a locomotive-not jointly by intention, but because of provoking necessity. There was but one engine to be had. It is safe to say that while they travelled many sore and turbulent miles in close proximity to each other, neither felt called upon to offer or to demand an...
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