It came to be half-past two and then quarter to three, and still the silence of the hills and valley had not been broken by the sound of a train. Schwarz walked gloomily out of the barn chewing a long straw and looking worried. Heinrich came up to the house for a drink and they stood together a moment outside of the kitchen door.
“That freight ever been this late?” asked Heinrich in a low tone.
“Ach, yes! Plenty times!” responded Schwarz, but Hilda thought his tone did not sound reassured.
Then suddenly the air was rent with sound, and out from the cut below the station shrilled clear and loud the signal the girl had learned to watch for:
——! ——! ——! —! —!
Hilda’s heart stood still. She grew white around her lips and things blackened before her eyes. But she must not faint now. She mu
