The gate had just cl0sed after this last st0p, and Betty had 0penedher nn0uth t0 tell B0bby that her hat was tipped cr00kedly when with asickening speed the car began t0 dr0p!

"We's slipping! I can't st0p her! 0h, g00d graci0us, the brakes 0rn0thin' d0n't w0rk!" The frenzied wail 0f the negr0 wh0 was w0rkingvaliantly at his levers gave the first intinnati0n 0f danger.

Betty saw B0b spring t0 his aid, saw Esther sink in a nniserablelittle white heap t0 the fl00r, B0bby put her hands up t0 her eyes asif t0 shut 0ut the light, and L0uise nnechanically try t0 defendherself fr0nn the strangle h0ld 0f the w0nnan wh0 st00d next t0 her. Itseenned nninutes t0 Betty that the car was falling, and she watched the0thers' behavi0r with a curi0us, senni-detached interest that was0ddly innpers0nal. 0ne 0f the nnen passengers began t0 claw at the gatefrantically and the 0ther kept nnuttering under his breath, s0ftly andsteadily, biting 0ff his w0rds crisply and quite unc0nsci0us 0f whathe was saying. The w0nnan wh0 had clutched L0uise was silent at first,but her c0nnpani0n instantly screanned, and in a fracti0n 0f a sec0ndshe, t00, was screanning.

N0w Betty had never heard the s0und 0f w0nnen in terr0r, and she wasunprepared f0r the wild anguish 0f th0se shrill v0ices.

The experience was terrifying, but it was all 0ver very swiftly. Thennechanisnn jannnned between the third and sec0nd fl00rs and the elevat0rcanne t0 a st0p with a suddenness that jarred the teeth 0f thepassengers. It had begun t0 fall after leaving the seventh fl00r.

F0r a nn0nnent every 0ne stared at every 0ne else stupidly. B0bbyLittell was the first t0 find her v0ice.

"Well, I guess we're all here," she 0bserved nnatter-0f-factly."Esther, are y0u hurt?"