The Railroad War Read Free Page A

order not to cause Miranda any additional strain.
    When the two girls appeared at the head of the gangway and started to cross, there were quick, concerned glances from those
     passengers who had already reached the dock. And the glances were followed by whispered comments and explanations. No one
     who’d been on the train, of course, was ignorant of the accident the young beauty from Georgia had suffered, but the West
     Point officers and cadets on the dock needed to be informed. Then there came a shout from someone near the end of the gangway,
     and a moment later the crowd parted so a way could be made for the stricken girl.
    Though her chest still pained her, Miranda was not displeased with her sudden celebrity. In fact, she was delighted by it.
    And so she lifted her head high, and with straight back, steady step, and resolute bearing moved through the crowd toward
     the other end of the dock, where her brother Lam waited for her with two other cadets. She was followed by her sister, her
     uncle, and her father, and she achieved the effect of a royal procession: she was a princess followed by attending lesser
     nobility.
    As she walked, various people on either side of her remarked on her courage, beauty, and grace under adversity, and she tried
     to give to each of these kind and friendly souls an inclination of her head to acknowledge how grateful she was for their
     attention. This slowed her progress toward her brother and the two cadets who were with him, one of whom, she had not failed
     to note, was especially tall and good-looking.
    And then, about halfway between the gangway and the landward end of the dock, her progress was brought to an abrupt halt.
     A plump woman with a bright smile took Miranda momentarily by the hand and drew her to her ample bosom. “How brave you are,
     you dear girl,” the woman said. “How perfectly lovely and adorable. I hope that I’ll get a chance to see you at the ball tonight.
     I trust you won’t be completely indisposed.” She glanced behind her, and Miranda noticed a short and slightly less plump version
     of the woman who held her hand. “Freddy,” the woman said, “wouldn’t you like the first dance with this bravest of girls?”
    “I’d be most pleased,” the cadet said.
    Miranda drew back, searching vainly for an excuse to pull herself away from this woman and her son. He had a face that would
     sink ships, but she was too nice a girl to do anything so impolite as to let him know that.
    A moment later, however, she was saved. “I’m sure she’d love a dance with Freddy,” said a loud male voice. “But I’m afraid
     she’s already promised the first dance to me.” The man, Uncle Ashbel, of course, had moved up beside her. He then contrived
     to slip her away from the grip of the woman. “Come on, my dear,” he continued. “We must bring you to the hotel. It’s a warm,
     close day, and with your recent wound, you might feel suddenly faint.” He looked meaningfully at the plump lady, all the while
     dragging Miranda toward her brother.
    “I hate to disturb your moment of glory, precious, but we really should move on,” he said softly but imperatively, once they
     were out of earshot of the lady and her son.
    “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” she dissembled with high, arched brows. “I’m sure I wasn’t…”
    “It’s a great pleasure to be noticed,” he interrupted. “But life is short.” Then he pulled her to a swifter pace. “You’d like
     to be all day promenading down the dock, but I have better things to do. And so, I hope, will you.”
    Momentarily serious, she said, “Well, thank you anyhow, Uncle dear, for saving me from the woman back there—and her son.”
     After the word “son,” she made a grunting sound deep in her throat.
    Ashbel laughed, and then Lam rushed up to them, trailed by his two cadet friends.
    “Miranda! Uncle Ash! Ariel! Father!” Lam was shouting joyfully and expansively. In one smooth and dramatic