stepped to the brink, and mechanically
looked down, from the point from which I had first seen him. I cannot
describe the thrill that seized upon me, when, close at the mouth of the
tunnel, I saw the appearance of a man, with his left sleeve across his
eyes, passionately waving his right arm.

The nameless horror that oppressed me, passed in a moment, for in a
moment I saw that this appearance of a man was a man indeed, and that
there was a little group of other men standing at a short distance, to
whom he seemed to be rehearsing the gesture he made. The Danger-light
was not yet lighted. Against its shaft, a little low hut, entirely new
to me, had been made of some wooden supports and tarpaulin. It looked no
bigger than a bed.

With an irresistible sense that something was wrong--with a flashing
self-reproachful fear that fatal mischief had come of my leaving the man
there, and causing no one to be sent to overlook or correct what he
did--I descended the notched path with all the speed I could make.

"What is the matter?" I asked the men.

"Signal-man killed this morning, sir."

"Not the man belonging to that box?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not the man I know?"

"You will recognise him, sir, if you knew him," said the man who spoke
for the others, solemnly uncovering his own head and raising an end of
the tarpaulin, "for his face is quite composed."

"O! how did this happen, how did this happen?" I asked, turning from one
to another as the hut closed in again.

"He was cut down by an engine, sir. No man in England knew his work
better. But somehow he was not clear of the outer rail. It was just at
broad day. He had struck the light, and had the lamp in his hand. As
the engine came out of the tunnel, his back was towards her, and she cut
him down. That man drove her, and was showing how it happened. Show the
gentleman, Tom."

The man, who wore a rough dark dress, stepped back to his former place at
the mouth of the tunnel:

"Coming round the curve in the tunnel, sir," he said, "I saw him at the
end, like as if I saw him down a perspective-glass. There was no time to
check speed, and I knew him to be very careful. As he didn't seem to
take heed of the whistle, I shut it off when we were running down upon
him, and called to him as loud as I could call."

"What did you say?"

"I said, Below there! Look out! Look out! For God's sake clear the
way!"

I started.

"Ah! it was a dreadful time, sir. I