In the middle of the street Bibbs had to step ahead of his father, and the two were separated.

But the reckless passing of a truck, beyond the second line of rails, frightened a group of country women who were in course of passage; they were just in front of Bibbs, and shoved backward upon him violently.

To extricate himself from them he stepped back, directly in front of a moving trolley-car--no place for absent-mindedness, but Bibbs was still absorbed in thoughts concerned with what he had been saying to his father.

There were shrieks and yells; Bibbs looked the wrong way--and then Mary saw the heavy figure of Sheridan plunge straight forward in front of the car.

With absolute disregard of his own life, he hurled himself at Bibbs like a football-player shunting off an opponent, and to Mary it seemed that they both went down together.