The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-05-25
body's shoulders, and moved back to

the corner of the vestibule, which
did very well until the next stop,
where half a dozen more prospective
passengers were waiting. They were
in hurry, too, since it had begun in
very downright fashion to rain.
The conductor had been chanting,
"Up in the car, pleased" in a per-
functory cry all along. But at this
crisis his voice got a new urgency.
"Come on now" he proclaimed, you'll
have to get inside!"
From the steps the new arrivals
pushed, the conductor pushed, and the
sheeplike docility of an American
crowd helped him. Regretfully, with
the rest, Rose made her way to the
door.
Fare, please!" he said sharply as
she came along.
She told him she had paid her fare |;
but for some reason he elected not
to believe her.
"When did you pay?" he demanded.
"A block back" she said, when all
those other people got on"
"You didn't pay it to me-" he said
truculently. "Come along! Pay your
fare or get off the carr
IT paid 1t once" she said quietly,
"and I'm not going to pay 1t again."
With that she started forward toward
the door.
He reached out across his little rail
and caught her by the arm. 1t was
a natural act enough-not polite, to
be sure, by no means chivalrous.
But 1t had surprising result. The
first thing he knew he found both
wrists pinned in the grip Of two
hands; found himself staring stu
pidly into a pair of great blazing blue
eyes-it's a wrathful color, blue, when
you light it up-and listening, uncom-
prehendingly, to a 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 her-a gloved masculine
hand. She took the books 1t held out
to her as she Strengthened up and said
"Thank you" but without looking
around for the face that went with
it. The conductor had jerked the bell
while she was collecting her notebooks,
and the car was grinding down to
stop.
"You pay your farew he repeated,
cor you get off the car right here!"
Fright here" was In the middle Of
what looked like lake, and the rain
was pouring down with roar. Before
she could answer a voice spoke-a
voice which, with in+uitive 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" 1t
said. 1.-THE young lady has paid her
fare"
did you see her pay it?" demanded
the conductor.
Naturally not" said the voice: II
got on at the last corner. She was
here then. But If she said she did.
she did"
1t seemed to relieve the conductor
to have someone of his own sex to
quarrel with. He delivered stream
of admonition somewhat sulphurously
phrased, to the general effect that any
one whose concern the present affair
was not, could, at his option, close his
jaw or have his block knocked off.
Rose became aware that inside O
shaggy gray sleeve which hung beside
her, there was sudden tension Of
big muscles; the gloved hand which
had helped gather up her notebooks
clenched itself into a formidable fist
She spoke quickly and decisively: II
won't pay another fare; but, Of course,
you may put me Off the car"
"All right" said the conductor.
The girl smiled over the very GIN
gerly way In which he reached out for
her elbow to guide her around the rail
and toward the step. Technically, the
action constituted putting her off the
car. She heard the crisp voice once
more, this time repeating a number
"twenty-two-ought-fve," or something
like that-just as she splashed down
into the two-inch lake that covered
the hollow In the pavement. The bell
rang twice, the car started with
jerk, there was another splash, and a
big, gray-clad figure alighted in the
lake beside her.
"Pve got his number" the crisp
voice said triumphantly.
"But," gasped the girl, "but what In
the world did you get off the car for?"
1t wasn't raining. 1t was doing an
imitation of Niagara Falls, and the
roar of it almost drowned their voices.
"What did / get off the car fort"