some one came to help her.
Perhaps the train had not pulled into the station yet and she ought to
get back on it and wait. Yet if the train started before she found the
conductor she might be carried on somewhere and be justly blame her for
a fool.

There did not seem to be any building on that side of the track. It was
probably on the other, but she was standing too near the cars to see
over. She tried to move back to look, but the ground sloped and she
slipped and fell in the cinders, bruising her knee and cutting her
wrist.

In sudden panic she arose. She would get back into the train, no matter
what the consequences. They had no right to put her out here, away off
from the station, at night, in a strange country. If the train started
before she could find the conductor she would tell him that he must back
it up again and let her off. He certainly could not expect her to get
out like this.

She lifted the heavy suit-case up the high step that was even farther
from the ground than it had been when she came down, because her fall
had loosened some of the earth and caused it to slide away from the
track. Then, reaching to the rail of the step, she tried to pull herself
up, but as she did so the engine gave a long snort and the whole train,
as if it were in league against her, lurched forward crazily, shaking
off her hold. She slipped to her knees again, the suit-case, toppled
from the lower step, descending upon her, and together they slid and
rolled down the short bank, while the train, like an irresponsible nurse
who had slapped her charge and left it to its fate, ran giddily off into
the night.

The horror of being deserted helped the girl to rise in spite of bruises
and shock. She lifted imploring hands to the unresponsive cars as they
hurried by her--one, two, three, with bright windows, each showing a
passenger, comfortable and safe inside, unconscious of her need.

A moment of useless screaming, running, trying to attract some one's
attention, a sickening sense of terror and failure, and the last car
slatted itself past with a mocking clatter, as if it enjoyed her
discomfort.

Margaret stood dazed, reaching out helpless hands, then dropped them at
her sides and gazed after the fast-retreating train, the light on its
last car swinging tauntingly, blinking now and then with a leer in its
eye, rapidly vanishing from her sight into the depth of the night.

She gasped and looked about her for the station that