They went away together, leaving her to her despair, which had passed into
a sort of torpor by the following night, when Dr. Morrell came again, out
of what she knew must be mere humanity; he could not respect her any
longer. He told her, as if for her comfort, that Putney had gone to the
depot to meet Mr. Peck, who was expected back in the eight-o'clock train,
and was to labour with him all night long if necessary to get him to
change, or at least postpone, his purpose. The feeling in his favour was
growing. Putney hoped to put it so strongly to him as a proof of duty that
he could not resist it.

Annie listened comfortlessly. Whatever happened, nothing could take away
the shame of her weakness now. She even wished, feebly, vaguely, that she
might be forced to keep her word.

A sound of running on the gravel-walk outside and a sharp pull at the
door-bell seemed to jerk them both to their feet.

Some one stepped into the hall panting, and the face of William Savor
showed itself at the door of the room where they stood. "Doc--Doctor
Morrell, come--come quick! There's been an accident--at--the depot.
Mr.--Peck--" He panted out the story, and Annie saw rather than heard how
the minister tried to cross the track from his train, where it had halted
short of the station, and the flying express from the other quarter caught
him from his feet, and dropped the bleeding fragment that still held his
life beside the rail a hundred yards away, and then kept on in brute
ignorance into the night.