“Yes, Miss Warfield.”
“And your experience indicates that this is more likely to happen at the first rise of the synclinal on a grade than anywhere on a straight track.”
“Yes, Miss Warfield.”
“Good!” said Marion, “so far. But does not your experience also indicate that such an accident usually happens when the train is running at a high rate of speed?”
“Yes, Miss Warfield,” said the man. “It's far more likely to happen then, because the engine strikes the rails at the first rise of the grade with more force. Naturally a thing hits harder when it's going... But it might happen with a slow train.”
Marion made a gesture as of one rejecting the man's final sentence.
“When you turn that way,” she said, “you at once leave the lines of greatest probability. Why should you follow the preponderance of common experience on two features here, and turn aside from it on the third feature?”
“Because the thing happened,” replied the man, with the directness of those practical persons who drive through to the fact.
“That is to say an unlikely thing happened!” Marion made a decisive gesture with her clenched fingers. “Thus, the inquiry, beginning with two consistent elements, now comes up against one that is inconsistent.”
“But not impossible,” said the man.