The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-04-27

/ 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 q
stop.
"You pay your fare" 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 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: Il
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 a 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: Il
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 number
''twenty-two-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 a
big, gray-clad figure alighted In the
lake beside her.
'Tve got his number" the crisp
voice said triumphantly.
But" gasped the girl, "but what in
the world did you get off the car fort"
1t wasn't raining. 1t was doing an
imitation of Niagara Falls, and the
roar of it almost drowned their voices.
"What did 1 get off the car for |"
he shouted. "Why, 1 wouldn't have
missed it for anything. 1t was i'm
mense! It's so confounded seldom"
he went on, "that you find anybody
with backbone enough to stick up for
principle. :"
He heard a brief, deep-throated
laugh and pulled up short with
"What's 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 itP" 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
deceptlon?" he asked.
On any other day, it's probable she'd
have acted dlfferently-would have
paid some heed, though a bit con-
temptously, perhaps, to the precepts Of
ladylike behavior, in which she'd been
admirably grounded. Today being to-
day, she consigned ladylike considera-
tions to the inventor Of them, and
gave instinct it's head.
She laughed again as she answered
his question: "The deception was that
1 pretended to do it from principle.
The real reason why shouldn't pay
another fare is that I only had one
more nickel. It's only about half a
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, ut 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 ate a bigger lunch than usual,
and that brought me down to ten
cents"
"You will make complaint about
that, won't youa" he urged. "Even if
1t wasn't on principle that you refused
to pay another fare? And let me back
you up in it. I've his number, you
know"
"You deserve that I suppose" she