“You might try getting up by and by. The railroad company are doing all they can and sending passengers to their destination.”
“When was it?” in a tremulous tone.
“Two days ago; well, it will be three tonight. It was hardly midnight when it happened. I never was in an accident before. It was awful.”
Emma Boyd sat up in the bed and took the child in her arms, studying it earnestly. Oh, how sweet and rosy it was with its dimpled mouth and its fringe of soft hair. Then she laid it down and crept out of bed, feeling rather shaky, but having the use of all her limbs. There was the dress hanging on her chair. She wondered what would be done. Should she go on?
There was another pocket in the side of her skirt and she felt for that. There was the remainder of her trip ticket and some money. She had only put a small amount in her satchel and that was safe as well. Rescuers had been honest. Was it a token that she should go on?
The official was in that afternoon and made her a general allowance, she thought, for her losses. There would be a through train at nine the next morning if she was able to go.
“Could I see the—the other lady. How was the baby hurt?”
“Oh, it was all crushed. The mother was killed. One of the passengers recognized her and the lady, and though you were stunned for a long while you came partly to, and called for your baby. So we brought it, and although you were not quite rational you were so happy with it and improved rapidly. You’ve been fortunate, ma’am.”
“Yes,” with a queer, frightened sound.
“She’s a beautiful woman and belongs to the quality, but her hip is broken and her back twisted, and there’s something hurt in her head. She can’t live—we thought her dead in the night. It’s a blessing the poor baby has gone.”