"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Barbara in an ecstacy of joy.
Grace Carter sat up dazedly.
"Are you hurt, dear?" urged Bab.
"I—I don't know. I think not. Oh, it was awful. I—I thought the world surely was coming to an end. Was anyone—anyone killed?"
"No," answered a voice from the crowd. "Some of us got a fine shaking up, but the train was running so slowly that the shock of the accident was not very severe."
"What was the matter?" asked Grace as Barbara assisted the trembling girl to her feet.
"The trainmen say it was a loose rail. They've been putting in new rails at this point and the train was running slowly on that account, the work not yet being entirely finished."
At this juncture the conductor came bustling up, ordering the passengers to go to the cars ahead, which had not left the track. The train was to move on in a few minutes. A flagman had been stationed some distance to the rear to stop any following trains and the conductor was anxious to reach the next station ahead to telegraph for a wrecking train and report the wreck of the sleepers. A pleasant-faced woman whom Barbara had seen on the train the day before, stepped up and offered to assist them, which she did by placing an arm about Grace, helping to support the latter in the walk to the cars.
"I am Miss Thompson, from Chicago," said the woman. "My father is with me. I saw you yesterday and wanted to speak to you. Are you going to Chicago?"
"Yes. You are very kind," answered Barbara.