The Press., 1912-12-18
CONDUCTOR
 NO. "
They All Took a Lesson In
 Common Sense '
By cLARIssA MAcKIE

next stop three people got on, who com pletely filled the short cross seat Ill front of her.
 Flares, please"
 Helen's heart leaped as she heard the conductors voice, and she 1elt vague sense of irritation because a mere trolley car conductor should pos sess a voice exactly like Ralph Fair lees deep tones She turned her head and stole a glance at the approaching conductor, Her heart leaped agaln when she discovered that the back of his shapely dark head was exactly Ike that of Ralph's and that the swing or his broad shoulders as he turned mlght have belonged to Ralph. Her head turned face about, and she compressed her lips. "What a-a both err' she murmured to herself.
 It was more than "bother" to De reminded of Ralph Fairlee at that mo- ment. It was positive pain to the girl who had been engaged to Ralph for three happy months. Of course the engagement was a thing of the past , or 1t would not have caused Helen 1 Blair any pain to be reminded of it's previous existence.
 | At last the conductor came to the front of the car once more, set back the indicator and began to collect fares for the second stage of the trip.
 "Fare, pleasew he boomed in front of Helen, and again her heart leaped as she 6shed out nickel and gave 1t to him.
 Then under the brim of her droop- ing velvet hat she permitted her race to relax it's cold hauteur, while she fell to dreaming about Ralph Fairlee. who had taken their quarrel seriously ana | left the city to seek work elsewhere Ralph's father was a rich man, and old MT. Fairlee had queer ideas about rich mems sons. He believed that these same sons should demonstrate their ability to earn money and prove themselves capable of taking care of money already earned. Ralph had different ideas and wanted to begin at the top of the ladder. He had quar- reled with his father on this point He had Quarreled with Helen on an other matter and, estranged from both, must be very lonely now. Hel- ems heart was breaking for love and pity of him.
 Clang, clang, clang-rush, chatter, clang! Starting and stopping, Whizzing and curving and rocking, the ''car of destiny" went on its way into the open country.
 Flares, please" said the conductor as he stood before her once more with hand stretched out. T
 Helen fumbled in the gold meshed bag and impatiently emptied it's con- tents into her lap in search of coin. She was positive that she had plenty of change left There was a crumpled lace handkerchief with an elusive fra grance of violets about it; there was an inner golden meshed purse that was quite empty, a couple of matinee tick cts, a vial of smelling salts, penciled memorandum, but there was not coin to be found!
 "Oh, deary Helen was embarrassed as her eyes sought the stern face of the young conductor. 'Tm sorry, but She had to stop then, for that unruly heart of hers was beating faster than any triphammer could hope to rival. The stern face of the conductor was set like a white mask as he turned away.
 Flares, please" he was saying to the woman who sat behind her. Frantically Helen searched her gold en bag, but in vain. She was quite penniless and still ten miles from her station. She bit her lip angrily, be- cause she must explain these matters to a conductor who had the effrontery to have a voice identical with that of Ralph Fairlee and to have a face so much like Ralph's that she had nearly swooned away when she looked at him. But of course 1t was not Ralph Fairlee. Ralph would have spoken to her at once-gladly, she knew that. And, be- sides, Ralph Fa1rlee was as brown as berry, and this conductor, very con- mon person, no doubt, was quite pale. How presumptuous for a trolley car conductor to speak, look and act just like Ralph Fairlee!
 But how very humiliat1ng to be un- der obligations to this man, a perfect stranger! Again she searched through her bag and shook out her handker- chief. This time there was a .clink as coin flew to the floor.
 Helen stopped to pick it up just as the conductor came to her aid. To gether they bent over, and together they searched for the lost coin. Hell ems big hat brushed the conductors cap from his head, and there was added embarrassment. At last the man arose with something between his fingers and held 1t out.
 "You lost this?" he inquired coldly.
 "Yes," said Helen, reddening. 'Real- ly, thought 1t was more. I must have lost my change and"- | The conductor thrust the shining penny in his vest pocket and rang up q fare.
 "PIease give me your number" said Helen eagerly.
 "NO. IT." he said gravely, and with a lift of his cap he went back to his station on the rear platform. .
 Clang, clang, chatter. went the car, while Helen's agitated thoughts kept company to the beating of her heart and the thrObbing of the motor.
 An elderly gentleman sitting oppo- site to Helen peered at her over his gold spe tacles. She noticed that he look' ed keenly after the young conductor who had so stoically rung up her fare | after receiving from her hands the meager penny that she could find. She wondered if the old gentleman would be apt to report the conductor for negligence in not putting her off the car.
 The idea of being under obligations to the conductor, who looked so much like Ralph Fahlee, became so repug- nant that Helen finally arose and walk ed down the rapidly moving car toward the rear. She was determined to alight