Montgomery County sentinel., 1918-03-22

conductor, however, and then discreet
ly departed.
Two drummers getting on soon after
ward gazed electrified at the interior
Of the car.
Just run over somebody" one oi
them asked the conductor, as a burst
Of general conversation came through
the partly open door.
NO" he said, surlily.
We'll, what is that in there--Sun.
day school convention, or trade union r
the other man asked facetiously.
over the indignant suburbanites with
in.
There's twenty-six OF them," he
said. disgustedly. "and they're as crazy
as a sky-rocket in a snow storm" He
refused to explain further and went in
to collect the fares in moody silence
There had been some demur about
the second fare, but after consultation
1t was decided to pay It.
The passengers were becoming bet
ter acquainted. When a messenger
boy took flying leap and managed to
scramble to the platform, he beheld
the amazing spectacle OF car full OF
people In animated conversation with
one another.
Say" he said. pointing through the
glass Of the door, what's the trolley
party?"
Lot of damn lunatics," snarled the
conductor, and lapsed into morose ST.
lence.
At the end Of the line the conductor
opened the door with a jerk.
"All out" he said. This car Ia
going back to town"
"We1l get off at Wilkinsville, and nc
place else" said one firmly. and amid
q silence broken only by the swapping
Of watch cases as the mutineers con.
suited the time. the car started back
to town. The Man came in and sat
down not far from the Girl, but she
only chatted pleasantly with the little
widow across from her.
The conductor and motorman were
not so mirthful now; there was an ali
Of grim determination about the TWEEN
ty-six that made the cold night air
warm and comfortable by comparison
In the meantime a common trouble
was bringing the people inside closer
together. 1t developed that the woman
with the baby had cloth bag inside OF
her coat containing three hundred and
fifty-f1ve pennies-"one for every day
Of his life." she explained amiably; 81
brought them along. 1t isn't safe to
leave them"
So the pennies were brought out and
suitably exchanged. and the next time
the fares were paid in copper. leaving
the conductor white with rage and Wis
IDLY bulging.
It was eight o'clock when the car be
gan its next trip from town. The pas
sengers were growing hungry, ant
when the last transient had gone, leav
ing only the steady occupants, the
Man conversed secretly with the ba
ker's boy. AS result the white GOV
cred basket was passed around, will
bag Of apples from one of the mar
ket baskets.
Two passengers weakened at tn,
end Of that trip and got of, Leaving
only a space Of empty seat between
the Man and the Girl. The little widow
eyed the gap disapprovingly, but tn,
Man stonily read the advertisement TO
somebody's pork and beans, and tn,
car, after another request from tn
conductor, a little less courteous thi
time-that they move into the ca
ahead-started back to town
The Girl was feeling very lonely an,
unhappy. Once or twice she looked a
the relentless profile near her, but /
was unresponsively classic. Not 70
worlds would she have shown les
spirit than the other women in tn
car. and got out. But she was stil
from sitting. her head was aching fro1
excitement and hunger-and Just
little from the quarrel.
AS for the Man. 1t is very possible +
gaze stonily straight ahead, and ye
see clearly every movement of CIR
some distance to your left He had al
ache, too. but It was a lonely sort O
heartache.
AS for the little widow. she pulle,
her black veil over the rim Of her hal
feeling very sad and alone, and wor
dering II she had ever been so foolisl
when she had some one to love her.
At the barn the car switched off an
rolled slowly. echoingly into the din
ness Of the building. There 1t wa
stopped with a jerk. the conducto
switched of the light and heat, an
with the motorman made his way I
the office.
The little widow shivered. What
the Man should go? 1t would be 8
like a man to leave at this psycholog
cal moment, when the Girl was hun
CRY, and lonely. and forlorn; for tn
tired eyes and the quiver of prou
chin had not been lost on the womaI
behind the veil
The committee shuffied out an
struggled through the darkness towar
tho faint beacon of the office light
After time they reappeared, led b
an apologetic man with a lantern.
Across the aisle some one sighed
she could have sworn It was the Cir
And then in great burst the light
came on again. The little widoy
gasped and smiled. For across tn
way the Man and the Girl sat, side b
side, their faces radiant.
The little widow smiled through
mist Of tears. then she slipped he
hand to the throat Of her black gowl
and lovingly touched locket with
photograph. which hung there.