The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-09-19
another fare. Went you let me pAEa
when onrna noo n 9 / ,x,o1n, slaa ero,,e

y
when 1 come again I won'tsbe gone
more than ten sminutes.a
The man said 'Um-m-m, ''doubtfully.
1T is against the rules, he added.
But it isn't right to make me pay,
another fare" persisted the woman.
He hesitatingly hemmed and hawed
again, and, in accordance with the
honored adage, was -straightway lost.
5 WELL" he said, 81 guess it'll be ali
right. When you come back just say,
I'm the woman that gave you ticket
a few minutes ago., and I'll know it
is you and will put you through"
Even while the woman said, "Thank
YOU" Cornelia's blood quickened with
the conception of her moral obliqufty.
The platform was deserted at the mo-
ment but Cornelia, at her post beside
the open window, overheard the con-
versation, and instantly perceived how
she could profit by the transaction.
She was honest with herself about
her dishonesty at the very start.
Its the same as downright steal
ing" she said, ''but-I can't help it. I
haven't got the nerve to try to bor-
row from strangers, and must get TO
Mary Watson's by four o'clock"
She waited till the ten minutes men
toned by the woman as the probable
length of her absence had nearly
elapsed. Then, when the next train
approached, she stepped boldly
through the door and confronted the
ticket chopper.
81 am the woman who gave you a
ticket a few minutes ago." she said,
according to instructions.
There was a suspicious quaver in
her voice, but the man was too busy
watching the oncoming squad of pas
sengers to give heed either to her or
her guilty tones, and he said, "alI
right" and passed her through.
Cornelia reached the Watson home
little before four o'clock and drove
out with them to the Country. club.
Late in the evening she saw Archibald.
Hewas not alone. Shewas not surprised
at that, but when she took second
look At his companion and recognized
her as the owner of the usurped
ticket, her state was little short of
stupefaction. Finally curiosity served
as a counter irritant and nerved her
for snatch of conversation with Archi-
bald.
81 was red-headed when I got to the
station and found that you were not
there" he said. "What on earth be-
came of you?"
81 thought you weren't coming"
said Cornelia.
81 don't see what made you think
that. told you I might be late. It's
pity you can't have little confidence
in fellow. Still, it's all right. I got
to the station just in time to help Myra
Nichols out of scrape-Myra's the
girl in black and white over there by
the window. l must GO back to her in
a minute. 1t seems she got started up
town, and aft ter she had dropped her
ticket into the box she remembered
something that she needed badly and
persuaded the chopper to let her go
back and get it. While she was gone
some skinflint of woman who had evil
IDENTIFY overheard her agreement with
the gate keeper pushed her way
through on Myra's ticket, and when
she came back the man took her for
an impostor and wouldn't let her pass
without buying another ticket. She
had no money with her. and if hadn't
happened along when she and the man
were in the thick of the fight and Of
fered to help her out, she would either
have had to borrow from stranger or
go back again.
ct was hopping mad at you, you'd
better believe, and pumped it at
Myra, straight, wouldn't she come up
here with me? She didn't mind, and
so she came. She's a tip-top girl
chock full of fun-and we've hada high
old time. Since you took it into your
head to run away I'd have had to come
by myself if it hadn't been for
Archibald paused and nodded to-
ward the woman in black and white.
Cornelia's eyes followed his ieal-
ously.
"For what?" she asked.
"Why, for that sneak of woman
who stole ride on Myra's ticket.
ooh, her. said Cornelia, weakly
n. Y. Times.