In a moment Reuben had his arms around the girl, and tried desperately to release her. But unaided, he was powerless to extricate her, and he too might have been drawn into the power of the swift, relentless machine, if the cries of the girls had not brought other men to the spot, who by main force dragged the poor creature out. It was a horrible sight. Her clothes were in shreds, and her flesh was terribly torn and mangled. It seemed impossible that she could survive such injuries; but without delay a stretcher was procured, and she was borne away to the hospital. Not till this was done did Reuben learn that the sufferer was Kate Barnaby, the wild, rough girl in whom he had become interested. The accident was a sad consequence of her own lawlessness. It was against the rules for women to touch these machines, or even to enter the room where they were, the danger of their clothing becoming entangled in the machinery being so great. But Kate, in one of her reckless moods, had been tempted to disobey if she dared, and had defiantly ventured to approach and even attempt to work one of the machines in the absence of the workmen, with a result which the giddy girls who had led her into this mischief would never forget. Reuben was shocked and unnerved by the terrible sight. It was all he could do to keep from sobbing aloud as the women did. No one who had witnessed the accident thought it possible that Kate could live. A sense of horror and gloom oppressed all the workers in the large factory, as they discussed with painful eagerness the event. Nothing else was talked about, and all were glad when the hour of closing came. As they passed out of the gates, quite a number of the "hands" turned in the direction of the hospital, that they might inquire there as to Kate's condition. Reuben was of the number. It was a great relief to him to learn that the surgeons did not consider the case hopeless. But he returned to the gatehouse with his heart heavy with anxiety, and that night he tossed to and fro on his bed and could not sleep, whilst the horrible scene which had shocked him kept renewing itself before his mental vision. At last, finding the attempt to sleep vain, he rose and went to his window. It was about five in the morning, but still dark, and no wind was stirring. As Reuben pressed his hot forehead against the window-pane, he perceived to his astonishment a light moving unsteadily at the farther end of the yard. Now here, now there it was, then he lost sight of it, then a few minutes later it appeared again.