"But how are you going to tell?"
"Now," said Marion, "there is always a point as you follow a
thing down, where the human design in it must appear, if there is
a human design in it. The human mind can falsify events within a
limited area. But if one keeps moving out, as from a center, he
will find somewhere this point at which intelligence is no longer
able to imitate the aspect of the result of natural forces . . .
I think we have reached it."
She paused and drove her query at the track boss.
"The spikes on the outside of this rail held it in place, did
they not?"
"Yes, Miss Warfield."
"Did the impact of the engine force these spikes out of the
ties?"
"Yes, Miss Warfield, it forced them out."
"How do you know it forced them out?"
"Well, Miss Warfield," said the man, pointing to the rail and the
denuded cross-ties, don't you see they're out?"
"I see that they are out," replied Marion, "but I do not yet see
that they have been forced out."
She moved a step closer to the track boss and her voice hardened.
"If these spikes were forced out by the impact of the engine, we
ought to find torn spike holes inclining toward the end of the
crossties.
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