Lister smiled, but admitted that the thing was puzzling.

The man was older than the girl, although he was not old enough to be her father.

If he were her husband, she would not have run away from him, and it did not look as if he were her lover.
Lister saw no light, but since it was obvious she feared the man he resolved, if possible, to help her to escape.
Some time afterwards, the whistle pierced the roll of wheels, and Lister, going to the platform, saw a big electric head-lamp shine like a star.

The cars were slowing and he imagined the operator had tried to run a construction train across the section before the express came up.
They would probably stop for a minute at the intersection of the main and side tracks.

Hurrying through the train, Lister found the conductor, who look him to a curtained berth, and the girl got down.