and I dashed my hand through
the glass with the imbecile impulse of stopping the train. The
remarkable presentiment that the train should not go on had full
possession of me now.

"Like one possessed I ran out of the office, burst open the door
leading to the agent's house, mounted in bounds the stairs leading to
it, and ran through the sitting-room into the parlor, where I knew I
should find Herbert. Just before I entered the room I heard Herbert
say in a broken voice, 'Then there is no hope for me?'

"'No,' replied a choked voice, which I recognized as Julia's. An
embarrassing scene met my gaze; kneeling at Julia's feet with a look
of keen disappointment on his face was Herbert.

"As I rushed into the room he sprang to his feet with an exclamation
of anger and amazement. But when he saw my face, an expression of
deadly fear passed over his. Without stopping to think, I caught him
by the coat-collar with my wounded hand; instantly his white shirt was
stained with blood. 'Herbert,' I cried desperately, 'the express has
just left! For heaven's sake tell me that you are quite sure you got
no order to hold her. I am certain something is going to happen,
something dread--'

"I never finished the sentence. I pray that I never again may see such
a look of mortal agony on any face as passed over his, or again hear
such a scream as he uttered, when he rushed past me with uplifted
arms, and ran downstairs crying at the top of his voice, 'Stop her!
stop her!' This terrible scene had all been acted in less than a
minute. I bounded after him. Someone was following me, but I never
thought of stopping to see who. My mind was now quite clear. If the
express had not passed the semaphore she might yet be stopped. The
semaphore was nearly a quarter of a mile from the station, and the arm
was down. If the engine had passed it by a hair's breadth, ninety-nine
chances out of a hundred the engineer would go on. If I could let up
the arm before the engine reached it, all might be well. My main hope
was in the icy condition of the track; I knew it would take her much
longer than usual to get under way on such rails.

"As Herbert dashed out of the station I was not two feet behind him.
With naked head, and hands outstretched toward the rapidly departing
train, and still uttering impotent cries, ran the demented fellow, his
reason for the time being entirely gone. The rampant wind blew the
half-frozen rain in my face with such force that