The Argosy, November 1908 — page 73: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THAT DROPPED CAR. And so it was with every subject which came up. ‘This young man had some im- provement to offer, in many cases his remarks really making an impression upon the girl.’ The train had only covered a small portion of their journey, and was slowing up at a station, when a particularly schol- arly dissertation by Smithers was inter- rupted by the brakeman, who shouted in an unusually plain manner: “Passengers will please take the car ahead.” This bit of idiotic management of traffic brought forth more criticism from the young man, who grumblingly escort- ed Miss Forest into the forward coach, while the one they had just quitted was cut from the train. As a matter of fact, they were obliged to walk through to the second car ahead before they could ob- tain seats. With renewed determination, Smithers - again set himself to entertain the girl by his side, deciding that a very few mo- ments, toward the end of their journey, would be sufficient to speak of personal matters. He had again reached a most satisfactory moment in their intercourse when another interruption occurred. “‘ Tickets, please,’ came from a digni- fied conductor. Smithers reached for the little blue slips which had been inserted in the cush- ion of the seat in front of them. But no tickets were there. And then he remem- bered. When they had moved from the rear car, now probably standing on some side- track miles behind them, he had forgot- ten to take their tickets with him. “T left them in the other car some time ago,” said Smithers with confidence. “Sorry, sir,’ replied the conductor, “but you must get others. Where are you going?” To Charloton,” replied the young man, losing some of his confidence ; “and I should not be compelled to buy tickets twice.” “That’s the rule,’’ said the man in uniform. ‘‘ Of course the road will re- fund you your money when we find the others.” “T have had occasion to notice,” began Smithers, seeing nothing to do but bluster it out, ‘‘that this road is run in a very 639 poor manner. This is merely an exam- ple. It’s not the money I care about,” with dignity; “it’s the principle of the thing. I won’t buy more tickets.” ‘Then you will have to get off at the next station,’ came firmly from the official. ‘“T think,” said Miss Forest, ‘‘ that it is too small a matter to argue about. Hadn’t we better get more tickets?” Anything to gain time, thought Smith- ers, as the conductor moved away, with the remark that he would return. “IT am very sorry,” began the young man, “ that my convictions are so strong. I presented our tickets to the conductor once, and after that we are entitled to a ride. I shall not buy more tickets.” And what a good reason he had as he thought of the ten cents, solitary in his pockets ! “Then I think I shall,’ rejoined Miss Forest, somewhat coldly. This was terrible. All Smithers’s vi- sions of winning this girl faded from his mind. Why had he hired that taxicab, and thus put himself in such a position? Something must be done. Besides, there was his own return ticket, which was at- tached to that luckless missing bit of stiff paper. He looked hopelessly about him, only to encounter the amused glances of the other passengers, and in the distance the tall form of the conductor returning to obtain their decision. ““T decline to buy any more tickets,” said Smithers in desperation. “This is humiliating,” said Miss For- est. “TI insist that either you buy the tickets or allow me to do so.” A great wave of hope crossed Smith- ers’s face. He suddenly recalled catch- ing a glimpse of a fellow he knew in the car behind. “All right,” sighed the young man, as though it were no longer possible to live up to the conviction of a lifetime not to allow oneself to be imposed upon. “It has occurred to me that in coming ,into this car I might have brought the mis- erable tickets with me after all, and dropped them on the way. We passed through the car behind, you know. I will go in there and look for them; and,” with great condescension, ‘if I do not find them I will purchase others.” conmmicloooks.conn