The daily Alaskan., 1912-11-26
CONDUCTOR
 NO. 1T
They All Took a Lesson In
 Common Sense
By cLARIssA MAcKIE

was tired after a long day of shopping and walked up the aisle to the front seat. which proved to be empty. At the next stop three people got on, who com pletely filled the short cross scat in front of her.
 Fares, please"
 Helen's heart leaped as she heard the conductors voice and she felt a 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 again when she discovered that the back or his shapely dark head was exactly Ike that of Ralph's and that the swing or his broad shoulders as he turned might have belonged to Ralph.
 Her head turned face about, and she compressed her lips what a-a both er!" she murmured to herself.
 It was more than a bother Co be 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 lt would not have caused Helen Blair any pain to be reminded of its 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.
 Flare. pleasew he boomed In front Of Helen. and again her heart leaped as she dshed out a nickel and gave it Co him
 Then under the brim of her droop- ing velvet hut she permitted her face to relax It's cold hauteur, while she fell to dreaming about Ralph Fairlee, who had taken their quarrel seriously and left the city to seek work elsewhere. Ralph's father was a rich man, and old Mir. Fairlee had queer ideas about rich mems sons. He believed that these same sons should demonstrate their ability Co 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. claug-rush, clatter. clang! Starting and stopping, whizzing and curving and rocking, the "car of destiny went on It's way into the open country.
 Fares. please" said the conductor as he stood before her once more with hand stretched out.
 Helen fumbled to the gold meshed bag and impauently emptied its 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 Ru elusive fra grance ot yiolets about it; there was an inner golden meshed purse that was quite empty, a couple of matinee tick cts, a vial of smelling salts, a penciled memorandum, but there was not a coin tO be found!
 "Oh. dearr Helen was embarrassed as her eyes sought the stern face of the young conductor I'm 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.
 "Fares, please" be was saying to the woman who sat behind her
 FranuCaIly Helen searched her gold en bag, but In vain She was quite penniless and still ten miles from her station. She bit her lip augrily, be- cause she must explain these matters to a conductor who had the effroRtery 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 it was not Ralph Fairlee Ralph would have spoken to her at once-gladly. she knew that And, be- sides, Ralph Fairlee was as brown as berry, and this conductor, a very com 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 humiliating 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 a coin flew to the floor.
 Helen stopped to pick 1t up just as the conductor came to her aid. To- cether they bent over, and together they searched for the lost coin. Hel- en's 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, reckoning. 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