Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-23
The Daily Story
ON THE BRIDGE-BY CLARIssA MACKIE.
Copyrighted. 1918 by Associatel Literary

high step to one of the front seats.
Thank you, Mr.. Dearborn; good /
night" cried Kitty. waving her hand .
as he swung off the moving car.
Good night he called back, adding
to the conductor as the rear of the i
car passed him. Please let that young
lady of at Belmont street"
The conductor shouted back some
answer. and the almost empty car
whizzed away into the darkness of the
surrounding country.
GRANDMOTHER will scold," she
thought. turning up the collar of her
coat and lifting her face to the strong
breeze that swept through the open
ear. she will tell me that Bakers and
Witherams always rode i'll their own
carria ges and that no lady returned
home unesCorted from any merryma6-
ing. But we are quite poor now, and
our days of splendor are past. As long
as l work side by side in the same
office as Molly l must use the same
vehicle that she does"
Kitty smiled little as she thought
of the errand that had taken her to
Mollys that August evening. Molly
was to be married. and Kitty had gone
out to Homedale to see all the dainty
| details of the trousseau and TO discuss
| the simple plans. She was to be brides
maid when Molly was married in the
/ village church.
/ The conductor thrust a caiiouSed,
blackened palm under her pretty nose,
| and Kitty fumbled for a nickel and
/ paid It, The bell tangled several times;
| then there was nothing save the fash
/ of the car toward the city between
walls of green trees on either side of
the track.
Thinking of weddings reminded Kit
| ty of one that might have been hers II
her pride had not caused her to break
troth with Len ThOrnleigh when the
/ Baked fortune went TO smash at her
/ fathers death. 1t had been Lens first
year at college. and he had chafed bit
terly because he must wait three years
before he could leave and support her.
He wanted to break off and so into
his fathers business without complet-
ing his college career, but the great
magnate had demurred and held Len
to Il promise made years before.
kitty had not seen Len since she had
sent him that cruel letter that made
him see light at last. Nothing but
cruelty would have opened his eyes.
She closed her eyes now. and stran
gled sob rose to her lips as she thought
of the last three years of waiting.
They stopped at little hooded sta
ton and changed conductors. Kitty
Baker never knew it. She sat there
drowsily. her face very tender. think
ing Of Len ThOrnleigh.
The bell ringing up fares reused her
a little. and she CROPPED for another five
cent piece. There was nothing left in
her purse save a silver quarter. She
held it in her gloved fingers. waiting
for the conductor.
When he came she did not look up
He leaned across the intervening space
and held out his hand.
Kitty stared down at the hand. II
was very different from the hand OF
the other conductor. This was Il clean
brown. muscular looking hand, witt
we'll kept nails and a plain gold ring
on the little finger.
1t was a familiar hand. A sudder
horror smote Kitty Baker. and she
thrust forward the silver quarter
Somehow it spun away out Of her fin
gers and went into the darkness.
On she cried sharply. Il haven
another penny with me-" Then she
looked into his face and saw that il
the hand was the hand Of Len Thorn
leigh the face certainly belonged K
the son of the great financier. HI!
eyes met hers uncertainty. steadiet
and became bits of gray agate.
1t could not be Len. for he did no
recognize her 1t was a wonderful re
semblance.
THAT was all the money had
apologiZed Kitty. What shall do"
you can pay me another time" h
said gravely and touched his hat. II,
rang up her fare and went away TO til
back Of the car.
Kitty sat paralyzed with surprise
It was Len Thornleigh's voice she hat
heard too.
Her good sense told her that thi
was absurd-to ina CINE that this trol
Why, Len drove around in his owI
high power mOtorcars. and she ha
T read only the day before that his ia
q Their was building a great countr
house at Marbehead.
The car whistled shrilly as II wen
g down the steep incline that approache
o q narrow bridge over the little rive
r As they rumbled over the bridge tn
car slackened speed and came to a su(
den standstill at the same instant tina
the lights went out.
l. The conductor went forward and So
down with the motorman. They tall
ed together in low tones. Kitty loo
~ ed back through the car and 81 " OF
e man sitting alone on the rear seat. II
70 appeared to be asleep. although
stirred as she looked nj him.
It was very quiet there waiting Z,
the power 20 return TO the trolley c
"a bles. Kitty Yawned sleepily and wo
dered If grandmother would scold vel
Oh much when she returned home
st
ID She closed her eyes, and the VIII
blew little tendrils Of her brown ha
over her white forehead