The Washburn leader., 1916-11-24


quite way to walk through dark
street. Will you help me? I-I-really
don't know what to do. Can you tell
me what to dO?"
Hayden was dazed for more than q
moment. No girl ever had spoken to
him other than in the course of busi-
ness, and here was a pretty, frightened
girl asking his aid. He looked ahead
at the man to whom she had referred.
He was broad shouldered and the
shoulders suggested strength.
Hayden moved his feet uneasily. II
don't know" he answered hcsitatingly.
Il don't believe he will hurt yOu.'
The girls sensitive face flushed quick.
ly. He saw that she looked at him
with contempt. Without word she
went to her seat.
The car sped on. At last, the girls
hand was raised as a signal to stop. As
she did so, the other man reused him.
self and repeated the signal.
With white face, the girl rose and
staggered down the aisle to the door,
and after her the man whom she
feared. After they had alighted and
the car had moved away, the conduc-
tor, slight, gaunt faced youth, came
up to Hayden.
"What was the matter with the
girl?" he asked.
Hayden told him. The lean jaw
dropped, and the young fellow stared
at Hayden. "Why didn't you go with
her?" he demanded.
"Why should I butt in?" was the
half-hearted reply.
The conductor turned with an oath
Of disgust. II know what the trouble
is with you-you're blamed coward"
He jerked the bell. "Now you get
off, beat it back there, and see that
girl home: You don't ride on this
CARP
In moment he was outside, the
car was vanishing and he was saying
to himself: '"That's just what's wrong
I'm d c0ward!"
A new sensation caught and tore in
his throat-a wrenching, gagging force
that was the pride of manhood reused
and stung to the quick. He found him
self sprinting down the avenue toward
the side street up which the girl had
fed.
Then he made out indistinctly
through the darkness two figures just
beyond him and at the same moment
terrified call for help broke the 81
lence.
A snarl broke from Haydon's lips.
He clutched forward wildly and his
fingers sank into a throat-a mans!
Then followed desperate pressure
Of muscles against his. His head was
battered and bruised, his body tor
tured with the weight placed upon it;
but his fingers held to the throat. Over
and over, up and down, back and forth
in the darkness and mire of the street,
they struggled for the mastery until
Hayden knew he had won.
Hayden let go and sat up. Three
policemen were lifting a limp figure
into the tOnneau of their car. One of
them came back to him. "You better
come along with us. You're battered
up In great shape, If you only knew it.
Well take the girl along to her house,"
Hayden, refusing the offered arm,
staggered to the car, and, entering it,
sank weakly into seat. Something
pressed against him in the darkness as
the car started, something clasped
around his neck and something
warm and fragrant rested on his lips.
Again shock cleared his conscious
ness-the lips Of the girl!
They left her at her home, humble
little place. Then the car turned
away.
On the way back to the station. Hay
don asked one of the officers how they
happened to come.
'"The conductor of one of the cars
stopped in. We were doubtful, but we
thought it would do no harm to run
out. By the way, 1t must take some
nerve to tackle man 80 pounds heav-
Ter than you. We found knife in
the grass, too. How'd you do it?"
Hayden shook his head. II lit into
him, that's all. But I'm going to get
wise to a few boxing and wrestling
stunts after this. may need them.
Something's been wrong with me for
years; haven't dared to ask for a
raise, haven't dared ask a girl to go
to show. I'm on now-y0u bet! A
chap called me a-coward! and it's
the luckiest word I ever had spoken
| to me-"
The policeman looked ar MIN Curl
ously. "You'n feel better after the sur
geon f1xes you up" he said, quietly.
Copyright, 1915. by the Mcclure Newspa.
Per syndicate.)