s carriage, which appeared
considerably damaged, though it had not left the rails. He wrenched
open the door, and, springing in, found Captain Lee striving in vain to
lift his daughter, who had fainted. Edwin stooped, raised her in his
arms, and, kicking open the door on the opposite side, leaped down,
followed by the captain. They quickly made their way to the station,
where they found most of the passengers, hurt and unhurt, already
assembled, with two doctors, who chanced to be in the train, attending
to them.

Edwin laid his light burden tenderly on a couch and one of the doctors
immediately attended to her. While he was applying restoratives Mr
Blunt touched Edwin on the elbow and requested him to follow him. With
a feeling of sudden anger Gurwood turned round, but before he could
speak his eye fell on Mrs Tipps, who sat on a bench leaning on her
son's breast, and looking deadly pale but quite composed.

"My dear Mrs Tipps," exclaimed the youth, stepping hastily forward, "I
hope--I trust--"

"Oh, Edwin--thank you, my dear fellow," cried Joseph, grasping his hand
and shaking it. "She is not hurt, thank God--not even a scratch--only a
little shaken. Fetch a glass of water, you'll find one in the
booking-office."

Gurwood ran out to fetch it. As he was returning he met Captain Lee
leading his daughter out of the waiting-room.

"I sincerely hope that your daughter is not hurt," he said, in earnest
tones. "Perhaps a little water might--"

"No, thank you," said the captain somewhat stiffly.

"The carriage is waiting, sir," said a servant in livery, coming up at
the moment and touching his hat.

Emma looked at Edwin for a second, and, with a slight but perplexed
smile of acknowledgment, passed on.

Next moment the carriage drove away, and she was gone. Edwin at the
same time became aware of the fact that the pertinacious Blunt was at
his side. Walking quickly into the waiting-room he presented the glass
of water to Mrs Tipps, but to his surprise that eccentric lady rose
hastily and said,--"Thank you, Mr Gurwood, many thanks, but I am
better. Come, Joseph--let us hasten to our darling Netta. Have you
sent for a fly?"

"There is one waiting, mother--take my arm. Many, many thanks for your
kindness in coming with her, Gurwood," said Tipps. "I can't ask you to
come with me just now, I--"

The rest of his speech was lost in consequence of the impatient old lady
dragging her son away, but what had