Page:Betty Gordon in the Land of Oil.djvu/36

26 Betty was glad to get away from the babble of sound, and they went down the first set of steps and joined the procession that was picking its way over the ties toward the engine.

"Express due in three minutes," said a brake-man warningly, hurrying past them. "Stand well back from the tracks."

He went on, cautioning every one he passed, and a majority of the passengers swerved over to the wide cinder path on the other side of the second track. A few persisted in walking the ties.

"Here she comes! Look out!" Bob shouted, as a trail of smoke became visible far up the track.

He had insisted that Betty stand well away from the track, and now the few persistent ones who had remained on the cleared track scrambled madly to reach safety. A woman who walked with a cane, and who had overridden her young-woman attendant's advice that she stay in the coach until news of the accident, whatever it was, could be brought to her, was almost paralyzed with nervous fright. Bob went to her distressed attendant's aid, and between them they half-carried, half-dragged the stubborn old person from the shining rails.

"Toto!" she gasped.

Bob stared, but Betty's quick eye had seen.