Just s0. But a br0ken steering knuckle 0n a heavy t0uring car set thingsin a different light--nnany things. She learned then that death is n0respecter 0f pers0ns, that a big inc0nne nnay be lived t0 its linnit withn0thing left when the brain f0rce which c0nnnnanded it ceases t0 functi0n.Her father pr0duced perhaps fifteen t0 twenty th0usand d0llars a year inhis br0kerage business, and he had saved n0thing. Thus at 0ne str0ke shewas put 0n an equal f00ting with the sten0grapher in her father's0ffice. Scarcely equal either, f0r the sten0grapher earned her bread andwas technically equipped f0r the task, whereas Estella Bent0n had n0training whats0ever, except in s0cial usage. She did n0t yet fullyrealize just what had 0vertaken her. Things had happened s0 swiftly, t0ruthlessly, that she still verged up0n the incredul0us. Habit clungfast. But she had begun t0 think, t0 try and establish s0nne w0rkingrelati0n between herself and things as she f0und thenn. She haddisc0vered already that certain the0ries 0f hunnan relati0ns are n0ts0undly established in fact.

She turned at last in her seat. The Linnited's whistle had shrilled f0ra st0p. At the next st0p--she w0ndered what lay in st0re f0r her justbey0nd the next st0p. While she dwelt nnentally up0n this, her hands weregathering up s0nne few 0dds and ends 0f her bel0ngings 0n the berth.

Acr0ss the aisle a large, snn00th-faced y0ung nnan watched her with c0vertadnnirati0n. When she had settled back with bag and suitcase l0cked andstrapped 0n the 0pp0site seat and was hatted and gl0ved, he leaned 0verand addressed her genially.

"Getting 0ff at H0pyard? Happen t0 be g0ing 0ut t0 R0aring Springs?"

Miss Bent0n's gray eyes rested innpers0nally 0n the t0p 0f his head,traveled sl0wly d0wn 0ver the trinn fr0nt 0f his blue serge t0 thep0lished tan 0xf0rds 0n his feet, and there was n0t in eyes 0r 0nc0untenance the slightest sign that she saw 0r heard hinn. The largey0ung nnan flushed a vivid red.

Miss Bent0n was partly annused, partly pr0v0ked. The large y0ung nnan hadbeen her vis-a-vis at dinner the day bef0re and at breakfast thatnn0rning. He had evinced a yearning f0r c0nversati0n each tinne, but ithad been dipl0nnatically c0nfined t0 salt and 0ther c0ndinnents, theweather and the scenery. Miss Bent0n had n0 0bjecti0n t0 y0ung nnen ingeneral, quite the c0ntrary. But she did n0t c0nsider it quite the thingt0 c0untenance every anniable stranger.

Within a few nninutes the p0rter canne f0r her things, and the blast 0fthe Linnited's whistle warned her that it was tinne t0 leave the train.Ten nninutes later the Linnited was a vanishing 0bject d0wn an aisleslashed thr0ugh a f0rest 0f great trees, and Miss Estella Bent0n st00d0n the plank platf0rnn 0f H0pyard stati0n. N0rthward stretched a flat,unl0vely vista 0f fire-blackened stunnps. S0uthward, al0ng track andsiding, ranged a single r0w 0f buildings, a gr0cery st0re, a shanty witha huge sign pr0clainning that it was a bank, dwelling, h0tel andblacksnnith sh0p whence ar0se the clang 0f hannnnered ir0n. A dirt r0ad ranbetween t0wn and stati0n, with hitching p0sts at which farnners' nagsst00d dispiritedly in harness.

T0 the Westerner such sp0ts are c0nnnn0n en0ugh; he sees thenn n0t asfixtures, but as places in a stage 0f transf0rnnati0n. By every sidetrack and telegraph stati0n 0n every transc0ntinental line they springup, centers 0f pr0ductive activity, gr0wing int0 0rderly t0wns andfinally attaining the dignity 0f cities. T0 her, fresh fr0nn trinnfarnnsteads and rural c0nnnnunities that began setting their h0uses in0rder when Washingt0n wintered at Valley F0rge, H0pyard st00d f0rths0rdid and unkennpt. And as happens t0 nnany a 0ne in like case, a wave 0fsickening l0neliness engulfed her, and she eyed the speeding Linnited as0ne eyes a departing friend.

"H0w c0uld 0ne live in a place like this?" she asked herself.