Publisher's Synopsis
HE train from 'Frisco was very late. It should have arrived at Hugson's siding at midnight, but it wasalready five o'clock and the gray dawn was breaking in the east when the little train slowly rumbledup to the open shed that served for the station-house. As it came to a stop the conductor called outin a loud voice: "Hugson's Siding!"At once a little girl rose from her seat and walked to the door of the car, carrying a wicker suit-casein one hand and a round bird-cage covered up with newspapers in the other, while a parasol wastucked under her arm. The conductor helped her off the car and then the engineer started his trainagain, so that it puffed and groaned and moved slowly away up the track. The reason he was so latewas because all through the night there were times when the solid earth shook and trembled underhim, and the engineer was afraid that at any moment the rails might spread apart and an accidenthappen to his passengers. So he moved the cars slowly and with caution.
