The Mystery of Mary | Page 2

The steps at the side of
the bridge, made for the convenience of railroad hands, were out of the
question, for they were at a dizzy height, and hung unevenly over the
yawning pit where trains shot constantly back and forth.
As they emerged from the dark, the man saw that his companion was a
young and beautiful woman, and that she wore a light cloth gown, with
neither hat nor gloves.
At the top of the embankment they paused, and the girl, with her hand
at her throat, looked backward with a shudder. She seemed like a young
bird that could scarcely tell which way to fly.
Without an instant's hesitation, the young man raised his hand and
hailed a four-wheeler across the street.
"Come this way, quick!" he urged, helping her in. He gave the driver
his home address and stepped in after her. Then, turning, he faced his
companion, and was suddenly keenly aware of the strange situation in

which he had placed himself.
"Can you tell me what is the matter," he asked, "and where you would
like to go?"
The girl had scarcely recovered breath from the long climb and the
fright, and she answered him in broken phrases.
"No, I cannot tell you what is the matter"--she paused and looked at
him, with a sudden comprehension of what he might be thinking about
her--"but--there is nothing--that is--I have done nothing wrong--" She
paused again and looked up with eyes whose clear depths, he felt, could
hide no guile.
"Of course," he murmured with decision, and then wondered why he
felt so sure about it.
"Thank you," she said. Then, with frightened perplexity: "I don't know
where to go. I never was in this city before. If you will kindly tell me
how to get somewhere--suppose to a railroad station--and yet--no, I
have no money--and"--then with a sudden little movement of
dismay--"and I have no hat! Oh!"
The young man felt a strong desire to shield this girl so unexpectedly
thrown on his mercy. Yet vague fears hovered about the margin of his
judgment. Perhaps she was a thief or an adventuress. It might be that he
ought to let her get out of the odd situation she appeared to be in, as
best she might. Yet even as the thought flashed through his mind he
seemed to hear an echo of her words, "I saw you were a gentleman,"
and he felt incapable of betraying her trust in him.
The girl was speaking again: "But I must not trouble you any more.
You have been very kind to get me out of that dreadful place. If you
will just stop the carriage and let me out, I am sure I can take care of
myself."
"I could not think of letting you get out here alone. If you are in danger,
I will help you." The warmth of his own words startled him. He knew

he ought to be more cautious with a stranger, but impetuously he threw
caution to the winds. "If you would just tell me a little bit about it, so
that I should know what I ought to do for you----"
"Oh, I must not tell you! I couldn't!" said the girl, her hand fluttering up
to her heart, as if to hold its wild beating from stifling her. "I am sorry
to have involved you for a moment in this. Please let me out here. I am
not frightened, now that I got away from that terrible tunnel. I was
afraid I might have to go in there alone, for I didn't see any way to get
up the bank, and I couldn't go back."
"I am glad I happened to be there," breathed the young man fervently.
"It would have been dangerous for you to enter that tunnel. It runs an
entire block. You would probably have been killed."
The girl shut her eyes and pressed her fingers to them. In the light of
the street lamps, he saw that she was very white, and also that there
were jewels flashing from the rings on her fingers. It was apparent that
she was a lady of wealth and refinement. What could have brought her
to this pass?
The carriage came to a sudden stop, and, looking out, he saw they had
reached his home. A new alarm seized him as the girl moved as if to
get out. His dignified mother and his fastidious sister were probably not
in, but if by any chance they should not have left the house, what would
they think if they saw a strange, hatless young woman descend from
the carriage with him? Moreover, what would the butler think?
"Excuse me," he said, "but, really, there are reasons why I shouldn't
like you to