Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-17
ES AND TROLLEYINC

Spectator, and there was not better shelter in
sight
Thurman led her 10 the sheltered side Of the
big trunk "I am afraid that il is going to be a
long watt" he said.
The cars are twenty minutes apart" she said
This Is the last car for the night"
''It is a good thing the one we were just on
was not the last" he laughed. 1--WE should have
had to walk"
She shuddered little at the thought, and he
drew closer to her, thinking that she was tremb
ling with the cold. He stood 80 that his own
person added to the shelter of the trunk, and
kept the rain from striking her, though the
ground was soggy from the heavy downpour.
He chatted to keep her spirits up, and so
quickly did the time pass that the blinking head
light came in sight almost before he realized
that it was due.
There was no trouble with the conductor for
he recognized GRACE and quietly rang up the
two fares without comment as soon as he was
asked.
For Eve minutes they bowled along, and Thur
man was just congratulatng the girl upon their
nearness to home when the car stopped with
suddenness that threw the passengers to the for.
ward end of the car.
After moment the conductor entered the car
'The track is washed out" he announced. "Those
of you who want to get home in hurry had
better walk"
"What of the rest?" asked Thurman.
"I can get to a place where I can telephone,
and we ought to have the repair wagon down
about an hour from now"
ANY chance of getting rig?' suggested Thur
man.
Not around here" was the discouraging reply
"You see we are on private right of way. The
best thing to do would be to walk to the main
road, but it's about as far that way to the
town"
81 think we had better walk suggested Grace.
"We cannot get any wetter than we are now,
and | am sure that mother will be worried about
me-"
He helped her down from the steps and arm in
arm they started up the track. Ten feet ahead
the low embanl1ment had been washed away, and.
they were forced to make detour through the
field to escape the pool of mud the soft embank-
ment had resolved itself into.
"It must have been the other car that accom-
plshef the disaster" said Thurman, as they
trudged along. "That got past but so weakened
the soft earth that it slipped away before this
car came"
"And to think that am to blame for it all"
she said.
"You are not to blame for any part of it, he
declared
"If l had not opened the door just as you
were picking up that coin you would have had
the money" she reminded
"If had not dropped the coin I should not
have lost it. Besides, it gave me the pleasure
of knowing you"
"You would have met me this afternoon" she
reminded.
"Think of the time I should have lost" he
retorted.,
She slipped her arm out of his. "You don't
have to pay compliments" she said.
81 mean it." he said simply. You had bet
ter take my arm again, this walking is very
treacherous"
"I can get along all right" she said, but, as
though in answer to her boast, she stepped on
round stone and would have sunk to the ground
had not Thurman caught her in his arms.
ITS just little wrench" she said Il can
walk"
"Better not try it," he warned.
In spite of his urging she declined to give up
her idea of walking and for fifty feet she hobbed
painfully along. The pain in her ankle was intense
but she would not give in. She was irritated
that compliment from this man, whom she had