Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-05-29

'or 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 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" 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 a 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 a
| shaggy gray sleeve which hung beside
her, there was q sudden tension of
| big muscles; the gloved hand which
had helped gather up her notebooks
clenched itself into formidable fist.
She spoke quickly and decisively: 81
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
''twentytwo-ought-five," 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 a
jerk, there was another splash, and
big, gray-clad figure alighted in the
lake beside her.
i've 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 1t almost drowned their voices.
what did I get off the car fort"
he shouted. "Why, / wouldn't have
missed it for anything. 1t was i'm
mense! It's so COMPOUNDED seldom"
he went on, shat you find anybody
with backbone enough to stick up for
principle. :"
He heard a brief. deep-throated
laugh and pulled up short with a
whats the joker"
II laughed" she said, because you
have been deceived" And she added
quickly, II don't believe it's quite so
deep on the sidewalk, is it?' With
that she waded away toward the curb.
He followed, then led the way to
a lee wall that offered, comparatively
speaking, shelter. Then, where's the
deception?" he asked.
On any other day, it's probable she'd
have acted differently-would have
paid some heed, though bit con-
temptously, perhaps, to the precepts of
ladylike behavior, il which she'd been
admirably grounded. Today being to-
day. she consigned ladylike considera-
tons to the inventor Of them, and
gave instinct its head.
She laughed again as she answered
his question: "The deception was that
I pretended to do it from principle.
The real reason why 1 shouldn't pay
another fare is that 1 only had one
more nickel. It's only about half
mile to the station, but from there
home it's ten. So you see I'd rather
walk this than that"
'But that's dreadful" he cried.
isn't there Couldn't you let
me
"Oh," she said, SIT isn't as bad as
that. It's just one of the silly things
that happen to you sometimes, you
know. I paid my subscription to The
Maroon. :" She didn't laugh
audibly, but without seeing her face
he knew she smiled, the quality of her
voice enriching itself somehow.
"And 1 ate a bigger lunch than usual,
and that brought me down to ten
.ents."
you will make a complaint about
that, won't your" he urged. "Even If
1t wasn't on principle that you refused
to pay another fare? And let me back
you up in 1t. I've his number, you
know"
You deserve that, / suppose" she
said. because you did get off the car
on principle. But-well, really, unless
we could prove that paid my fare,
they'd probably think the conductor
did exactly right. OF course he took
hold of me, but then-well, think what
did TO him !"
He grumbled that this was nom
sense-the man had been guilty at least
of excessive zeal-but he didn't urge
her. any further, to complain.
There's another car coming" he
now announced, peering around the
end of the wall. 'You will let me
pay your fare on it. won't you?"
. She hesitated. The rain was thin
ming. II would" she said, ''if honest
~ wouldn't rather walk. Thanks. really
very, very much, though. Don't you
miss it" She thrust out her hand.
"Good-byi"
Il can't pretend to think you need
an escort to the elevated" he said. II
saw what you did to the conductor.
haven't the least doubt you could
have thrown him off the car. But
literally like it very much if you
would let me walk along with you"
why" she said, "of course. I'd
like it, too. Come along!"
CHAPTER n.
What Happened to Frederica's Plan.
AT twenty-seven minutes after seven