New Beginning 678

Across the river from stately downtown Lafayette, Purdue University's bell tower rang out alone: five o'clock.

The elevator in the Agricultural Administration Building carried a man and two women from the first floor to the third floor, sank to the second floor, and carried three men down to the first floor, where they clattered down a half-flight of steps and out the door.

The elevator hefted itself up to the second floor to pick up a woman carrying her grandchild and took them to the third floor