id, but some might. There was a woman up at Larchmont
walked across in front of me the other day. Had a baby, too, in her
arms. Now, why should a woman start over four tracks just as I was
coming, and walk slow, if she didn't want to take a chance? Mind you, I
was on the far side, and she had to cross three tracks before she got to
mine. And all the time I had the whistle wide open. Why, a dog would
have heard that whistle and got out o' the way."

"Did you--" I began.

"Hit her? I didn't know at the time, it was such a close call. Thought I
had, but I found out afterward she got past--by the skin of her teeth.
Bet you she'd had some trouble. Thought she might as well quit the game
and take the baby along. Then, mebbe, she was glad when she got across
safe."

"Can't tell," reflected Bronson.

"I b'lieve there's such a thing as people getting drawn to a train. I
don't mean by the suction, but drawn by the idea of its going so blamed
fast and being so strong, especially people sick or down on their luck.
Now, last year I was coming through Rye one morning, and as I struck the
bridge after that reverse curve I saw two young fellows running along
the No. 3 track away from me. I was on No. 1 track, so they were all
right, but as I came up they both swung over to No. 1, and I cut 'em all
to bits. Turned out they were a couple of lads that had tramped it down
from Boston, goin' to enlist. They were weak and hungry, and I think
they just gave up to the train because they couldn't help it."

"Might be," said Bronson.

"Tell ye who was the nerviest man I ever killed," went on Lewis. "Fellow
in West Haven. Say, but we were coming that night! Northampton express,
ye know, and a down grade over the salt meadows. First thing I knew a
man was standing at the side of the track, fairly close, but not where
he'd get hit. I thought he was some friend of mine in West Haven trying
to make me whistle. But when I got near him, say a hundred feet away, he
stepped out between the rails and stood there a few seconds with his
arms lifted and a smile on his face--quite a pretty smile. Then, just as
I was on him he turned and knelt between the rails. I got the brakes on
quick as I could, emergency and everything, but I couldn't stop her in
less than a length and a half, and--well, I guess you don't want to know
what that engine looked like when I went over her."

"I know," said Bronson, "they scatter something terrible. Say, I've
noticed th