The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-12-13

49,.
did very well until the next stop,
whore half II dozen more prospective
passengers were waiting. They were
In n hurry, too, since 1t had begun in
very downright fashion to rain.
The conductor had been chanting,
"Up in the car, please" In Il per-
functory cry all along. But at this
crisis his voice got II new urgency.
"Comc on now" he proclaimed, you'll
have to get inside :"
From the steps the new arrivals
pushed, the conductor pushed, ana the
s~hcoplike docilliy of an American
crowd helped him. Rogrctfully, with
the rest, Rose made her way to the
door.
Fare, please I" he said sharply us
She cnIne along.
She told him she had paid her fare;
but for som" reason hc elected not
TO believe her.
"When did you pny?' he demanded.
"A block back" she said, "whcn I'll
those other people got on"
"You didn't pay 1t TO me" he said
truculcntly. "Coine along. Pay your
fare or get on the carr
II paid It once" she said quietly,
"and I'm not going to pay It again."
With that she started forward toward
the door.
He reached out across his little rail
and caught her by the arm. Ii was
II natural act ~enough-not polite, 20
be sure, 10y no means chivnlrogS.
But 1t had Il surprising result. The
first thing he knew he found both
wrists pinned in the grip Of two
hands; found himself staring stu.
pidly into II pair Of great blazing blue
cycs-it's n wrathful color, blue, when
YOU light 1t up-and listening, unCom-
prehendingly, to n voice that said,
Don't dare touch me like that :"
The episode might have ended right
there, for the conductors consterna-
ton was complete. But her notebooks
were scattered everywhere and had to
be gathered up, and there were two
or three OF the passengers who thought
the situation was funny, and laughed,
which didn't improve the conductors
temper.
Rose was aware, as she gathered up
her notebooks, of another hand that
was helping hcr-a gloved masculine
hand. She took the books II held out
to her as she Strengthened up, and said
"Thank you" but without looking
around for the face that went with
II. The conductor had jerked the bell
while she was collecting her notebooks,
and the car vas grinding down to a
stop.
"You pay your fare" he repeated,
cor you get of the car right here"
Fright here" was In the middle OF
what looked like a lake, and the rain
was pouring down with u roar. Before
she could answer n voice spoke-a
voice which, with intuitive certainty,
she associated with the gloved hand
that had helped gather up her note
books-a very crisp, finely modulated
voice.
That's perfectly outrageous" It
said. '"The young lady has paid her
fare.'
Did you see her pay IT." demanded
the conductor.
Naturally not" snid the voice: 81
got on at the last corner. She was
here then. But II she said she did,
she did"
II seemed to relieve the conductor
TO have someone of his own sex to
quarrel with. He delivered n stream
of admonition somewhat sulphurOusly
phrnsed. TO the general effect that any
II whose concern the present affair
was not, could, mt his option, close his
Jaw or have his block knocked off.
Rose became aware that inside "A
shaggy gray sleeve which hung beside
her, there was n sudden tension OF
big muscles; the glovcd hand which
had helped gather up her notebooks
clcnched Itself into n formidable fist,
She spoke quickly and decisiycly Il
won't pay another fare; but, of course,
you may put me or the car
"All right" said the conductor.
The girl smiled over the very GIN
gerly way in which he reached out for
her elbow 10 guide her around the rail
uuu tONuTu lle sleI. lcCIlHl'uIly' inc
action constituted putting her or the
car. She heard the crisp voice once
more, this time repeating n nulubcr-
'twenty-two.ought-fve," or something
like that-just ms she splashed down
into the two-inch lake that covered
the hollow In the pavement. The bell
rang twice, the car started with II
jerk, there was another splash, and n
big, gray.clad figure alighted In the
lake beside her.
"Ive got his number" the crisp
voice said triumphantly.
But" ghspcd the girl, "but what in
the world did you get of the car for?"
II wasn't raining. II was doing an
imitation Of Niagara Falls, anu the
roar Of II almost drowned their voices.
What did ! get OFF the car for"
he shouted. "Why. | wouldn't have
missed 1t for anything. II was i'm
mense! It's s o COMPOUNDED seldom"
l.. Nh. Al