e people
in the streets and the prolonged roar when the boulevard embankment gave
way.

The hurried entrance and startled cry of the grocer's boy in the kitchen
below, and the loud talk that followed, made her move to the head of
the stairs. There she stood listening, her heart in her mouth, her knees
trembling. Such expressions as "drownded,"--"more'n a hundred of 'em--"
reached her ears. Then came the words--"de boss's work busted; ain't
nobody seen him alive, so dey say."

For an instant she clutched the hand rail to keep her from falling, then
with a cry of terror she caught up an old cloth cape, bound a hat to her
head with a loose veil, and was downstairs and into the street before
the boy had reached the curb.

"Yes, mum," he stammered, breathlessly, his eyes bulging from his
head,--"Oh! it's awful, mum! Don't know how many's drownded! Everybody's
shovelin' on de railroad dump, but dere ain't nothin' kin save it, dey
say!"

She raced on--across the long street, avoiding the puddles as best she
could; past the Hicks Hotel--no sign of Jack anywhere--past the factory
fence, until she reached the railroad, where she stopped, gathered her
bedraggled skirts in her hand and then sped on over the cross-ties like
a swallow, her little feet scarce touching the cinders.

Jack had caught sight of the flying girl as she gained the railroad
and awaited her approach; he supposed she was the half-crazed wife or
daughter of some workman, bringing news of fresh disaster, until she
approached near enough for him to note the shape and size of her boots
and the way the hat and veil framed her face. But it was not until
she uttered a cry of agony and ran straight toward him, that he sprang
forward to meet her and caught her in his aims to keep her from falling.

"Oh, Jack!--where is daddy--where--" she gasped.

"Why, he is all right, Miss Ruth,--everybody's all right! Why did
you come here? Oh! I am so sorry you have had this fright! Don't
answer,--just lean on me until you get your breath."

"Yes--but are you sure he is safe? The grocer's boy said nobody had seen
him alive."

"Of course I am sure! Just look across--there he is; nobody could ever
mistake that old slouch hat of his. And look at the big 'fill.' It
hasn't given an inch, Miss Ruth--think of it! What a shame you have had
such a fright," he continued as he led her to a pile of lumber beside
the track and moved out a dry plank where he seated her as tenderly as
i