Uncanny Tales
that Nancy was not talking much and seemed rather pale. I was just going to remark on it when we heard the whistle of the train. There is a sharp curve in the permanent way outside the station, so that a train is on you all of a sudden. Suddenly to my horror I saw Nancy sway backwards towards the edge of the platform. I tried vainly to catch her as she reeled and fell--right in front of the oncoming train. I sprang forward to leap after her, but hands grasped me and flung me back so violently that I fell down on the platform. It was Bob Masters who took the place that should have been mine, and leapt upon the metals. I could not see what happened then. The station-master says he saw Nancy lifted from before the engine when it was right upon her. He says it was as if she was lifted by the wind. She was quite close to Masters. "Near enough for him to have lifted her, sir, if he'd had arms." The two of them staggered for a moment, and together fell clear of the train. Nancy was little the worse for the awful accident, bruised, of course, but poor Masters was unconscious. We carried him into the waiting-room, laid him on the cushions there, and sent hot-foot for the doctor. He was a good country practitioner, and, I suppose, knew the ordinary routine of his work quite well. He fussed about, hummed and hawed a lot. "Yes, yes," he said, as if he were trying to persuade himself. "Shock, you know. He'll be better presently. Lucky, though, that he had no arms." I noticed then, for the first time, that the sleeves of the coat had been shorn away. "Doctor," I said, "how is he? Surely, if he isn't hurt he would not look like that. What exactly do you mean by shock?" "Hum--er," he hesitated, and applied his stethoscope to Masters' heart again. "The heart is very weak," he said at length. "Very weak. He's always very anæmic, I suppose?" "No," I answered. "He's anything but that. He's----Good Lord, he's bleeding to death! Put ligatures on his arms. Put ligatures on his arms." "Please keep quiet, Mr. Riverston," the doctor said. "It must have been a dreadful experience for you, and you are naturally very upset." I raved and cursed at him. I think I should have struck him, but the others held me. They said they would take me away if I did not keep quiet. Bob Masters opened his eyes presently, and saw them holding me. "Please let him go," he said. "It's all right, old man. It's no use your arguing with them, they would not understand. I could never explain to them now, and they would never believe you. Besides, it's all for the best. Yes, the train went over them and I'm armless for the second time. But--not for long!" I knelt by his side and sobbed. It all seemed so dreadful, and yet, I don't think that then I would have tried to stay his passing. I knew it was 
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