"Who d'you think put it there ?" "One of they Bolshies, I expect.

We've got more of them in England than we've any need for." "I hope you'll soon get the line clear ?" The guard shook his head discouragingly.
"Well, it'll take a bit of time, miss.

Whoever did, the job did it thoroughly, and even when we get clear we'll have to go slow and keep a sharp look-out." "Then I shall miss my connection at Exeter--on to Abbencombe by the South-Western ?" "I'm afraid you will, miss." Her face fell.
"It's better than missing a limb or two, or your life, maybe," observed the guard with rebuke in his tones.
She nodded and tipped him.
"Much better," she agreed.
And the guard, with a beaming smile, moved off to the other end of the train, administering philosophic consolation to the disturbed passengers on his way.
It was over half-an-hour before the obstruction on the line was removed and the train enabled to steam ahead once more.
Nan, strung up by the realisation of how close she had been to probable death, found herself unable to continue reading and gazed out of the window, wondering in a desultory fashion how long she would have to wait at St.David's before the next train ran to Abbencombe.

It was impossible now for her to catch the one she had originally proposed to take.

She was faintly disquieted, too, by the fact that she could not precisely recollect noticing any later train quoted in the time-table.
The train proceeded at a cautious pace and finally pulled into St.
David's an hour late.