The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-23

Z
down the long, steep, ice-coated
hill Two blocks from the bottom
was her corner.
She would get off and never see
him again. The parting, dreaded,
but inevitable, loomed before her.
The trolley started down the hill
A woman rang the buzzer to get
of at the next corner The car
did not stop. She called out to
the raotorman, but he did not an
swex. The car rocked from side
to side. Two more passengers
arose to alight. The trolley went
faster, careening on curve.
This things out of control!" a
man shouted, clinging to a pole
fer support
People made for the rear exit.
Only Helen, the white-faced mother
with the three children, the stern
faced young man, folding his paper
deliberately and putting it in his
pocket, kept their seats Helen
had one glance at the motornlans
terrified profile.
Brakes won't work." he shouted.
MY God" shouted the first
Nl man." There's a coal truck
stuck in the ice on the track at the
foot of the hill. Well all be killed
like ratsl Let me out of here!"
Panic turned elbows into batter
ing rams.
open that door," shouted some
body. We're going to jump!"
The stern-faced young man
seemed to find his voice
Get the women and children to
the rear seats!" But nobody paid
the slightest attention to him. 1t
was every man for himself.
The notorman, laboring over the
controls. flung open the exit doors.
You'll break leg!" he warned
over his shoulder.
Better that than be killed.
The man who had ordered the
doors opened jumped Helen could
not see what became of him. A
groan went up from the crowd.
Two more men 'leaped off. A
woman, screaming, tried to follow,
but another woman held her back.
Some one pushed past the two
women. It was the man in gray
tweed. Helen's dream lover.
"WTEVE got to help this wom-
w an and the children!" The
stern-faced young man tried to in
tercept him.
"Out of the way!" snapped the
beautiful young man. He swung
to the step. Then he disappeared.
Rising, Helen saw him slide, try
to get his balance, fall on bis hand
some face. His lovely hat was
quite ruined. But he was alive. In
few moments more, she and the
stern-faced young man and the
lovely children would be dead.
The young man addressed Helen.
Here. hold the little girl. Cover
her with your body. I'll hold the
boy and the mother will hold the
baby. Get into this corner
when the crash comes"
The mother began to wall softly
ooh God have mercy -
Two school girls with their books
huddled on the floor, their heads
in their arms to protect their
faces. Every nerve in Helen's
body vibrated. feeling a thousand
times over the crash that was i'm
minent.
Helen found her head buried in
the young mans overcoated Shoul-
der. They were wedged in the
corner of the seat as far from the
front of the car as they could get.
The young man must have showed
them all there, but Helen never
remembered how or when.
A series of long shoulders seized
the car.
ITS come" Helen thought and
l. closed her eyes. The car
lurched, trembled, ground to stop.
Helen raised her head Nothing
lad happened. The car was stand
ing quite still.
Through the pandemonium that
followed. the motorman tried to ex-
plain just what he had done finally
that had worked. While he asked
for the names and addresses of his
passengers. Helen realized that she
and the stern-faced young man
we're still wedged in their corner,
although the mother and children
had fed. Razedly, Helen felt her
self being suddenly kissed.
The young mans face, when she
got it into focus again. had lost its
severity. Why. he was good look
Ing handsomer in every way
than the foppish looking young
man in gray tweed who was not
worth this ones little finger.
How dare you?" Helen cried
automatically.
L QlQnt mean, ne SLammered,
ito be be fresh but you
were wonderful :"
No, you were so cool and re-
Sourceful and wonderful. Oh,
I've lost my library book
He got up and picked it off the
floor. He looked at the card.
Miss Williams" he said. surely
after this violent err in
PRODUCTION you won't mind ]. :.
you see. I'm a stranger in the city
my home is in Albany J"
That did make them neiehbors
she said. Peterdale was only 800
miles from Albany.
THE END.
Copyright 1885 BY Chicago Tribune-N, Z.
News Syndicate Incl