"If you want to come, girl, for God's sake now's your time. Sadie honey, you want to?"
She shook him off through gasps.
"No, no. Herm, I—I can't stand it—it's only that I feel so bad at seeing you—No—no—not—not now."
The all-aboard call rang out like a shout in a cave.
He was fumbling at his luggage for the small pasteboard box, haste fuddling his movements.
"I'll be in Pittsburgh to-morrow till seven, honey. Sleep over it, and if you change your mind, catch the eleven-forty-five St. Louis flyer out of here to-morrow morning, and that train'll pick me up at Pittsburgh—eleven forty-five."
"Oh, I—"
"You be the one to bring this box home, with your own little hands, to poor grandma, honey, and—and if you don't change your mind, why—why, you can send it. You be the one to bring it to her, honey. Remember, it's a wise girlie knows when to change her mind!"
"Oh, Hermie—Hermie!"
"All—aboard!"