and just about
broken-hearted over all this. You'd think from the way she carried on
she was the one that was being put away and not the daughter. And yet,
what did the mother swear to on her sacred oath? She swore to the
daughter's having tried, not once but half a dozen separate times to
kill her, till she was afraid for her own life--positively!

"Besides, lady, it's been my experience, and I've had a heap of it, that
it's the quiet-acting ones that are apt to strike the quickest and do
the most damage when the fit comes on 'em. So taking everything into
consideration, I felt like as if I oughter be purty careful handling her
on this trip. But she's all right. Probably nobody on this train,
outside of you, knows there's anything wrong with her and it was
accidental-like, so you tell me, the way you come to find out--you
taking that seat alongside her and getting into talk with her whilst I
was in yonder smoking. It's better she should be under control thataway
than that she should maybe get a spell on her right here in this car or
somewheres and me be forced to hold her down by main strength and
possibly have to handle her pretty rough. I put it to you now, ain't it?
The way she's fixed she can't harm herself nor no one else. You take it
from me, lady, that while I've been in this business for so long I don't
always get my private feelings harrowed up over the case of a
nice-looking young girl like this one is, like an outsider might, still
at that I ain't hard-hearted and I ain't aiming to be severe just
because I can. But what else is there for me to do except what I'm
doing? I ask you. Say, it's funny she talked to you. She ain't said
hardly a word to us since she started. Didn't even say nothing when I
put the hobbles on her."

"I'm not questioning your judgment," said Miss Smith, "but she is so
pitiable! She seemed to me like some dumb, frightened, wild creature
caught in a trap. And despite what you say I'm sure she can't be mad.
Please, may I speak with her again--if she herself doesn't mind?"

"I'm afeared it's too late," he said not unkindly. "We're slowing down
for Peekskill now. I'll have to step lively as it is to get 'em off
shipshape. But if you've still got any doubts left in your mind you can
look up the court records at White Plains. You'll find everything's been
done positively legal and regular. And if you should want to reach me
any time to find out how she's getting along or anything like that