A Good Samaritan | Page 7

don't," he cried, and realized that the words had taken
him a step deeper into trouble. "It's just this way, Miss Margery--Billy
isn't hurt or ill, but he isn't--isn't feeling quite himself, and--and I've got
to--I've got to be with him." His voice sounded as if he were going to

cry, but it moved the girl to no pity.
"Oh!" she said, and her bewildered tone was a whole world removed
from the bright comradeship with which she had met him. "I see--you
and Billy have something else planned." Her face flushed suddenly.
"I'm sorry I misunderstood about--about the theater. I wouldn't for
worlds have--have seemed to force you to--" She stopped, embarrassed,
hurt, but yet with her graceful dignity untouched.
"Oh," the wretched Rex exclaimed impetuously, "if I could only take
you to the theater, I'd rather than--" but the girl stopped him.
"Never mind about that, please," she said, with gentle decision. "I must
go home--when is the next boat? One is going now--good-night, Mr.
Fairfax--no, don't come with me--I don't need you," and she was gone.
Two minutes later Strong's innocent slumbers were dispersed by a
vicious shake. "Wake up! wake up!" ordered Fairfax, restraining
himself with difficulty from mangling the cause of his sufferings. "I've
had enough, and we're going home, straight."
Rex was mistaken about that, but Billy was cordial in agreeing with
him. "Good idea, Recky! Howd'y' ever come to think of it? Le's go
home straight; tha's a bully good thing to do. Le's do it. Big head on
you, ol' boy," and yawning still, but with unperturbed good nature,
Strong marched, a bit crookedly, arm in arm with his friend to the
street.
[Illustration: At every station the conductor and Rex had to reason with
him]
Rex's memory of the trip uptown on the Elevated was like an evil
dream. Strong, after his nap, was as a giant refreshed, and his play of
wit knew no contracting limits. There were, luckily, not many
passengers going up at this hour, but the dozen or so on the car were
regaled. Billy selected a seat on the floor with his broad back planted
against the door, and at every station the conductor and Rex had to
reason with him at length before the door could be opened. The official

threatened as well as he could for laughing to put him off, but he
threatened less strenuously for the sight of six feet two of muscle in
magnificently fit condition. This lasted for half a dozen stations and
then the patient began to play like a mountainous kitten. He took a strap
on either side of the car and turned somersaults; he did traveling ring
work with them; he gave a standing broad jump that would have been
creditable on an athletic field; he had his audience screaming with
laughter at an imitation of water polo over the back of a seat. Then, just
as the fun was at an almost impossible point, and the conductor, highly
entertained but worried, was considering how to get this chap arrested,
Billy walked up to him with charming friendliness and shook hands.
"One th' besh track meets I've ever had pleasure attendin', sir," he said
genially, and sat down and relapsed into grave dignity.
So he remained for five minutes, to the trembling joy of his exhausted
guardian, but it was too good to be true. Suddenly, at Fifty-third Street,
he spied a young woman at the other end of the car. There were not
more than nine passengers, so that each person might have had a matter
of half a dozen seats a piece, but Strong suddenly felt a demand on his
politeness, and reason was nothing to him. He rose and marched the
forty feet or so between himself and the woman, and, standing in front
of her, lifted, with some difficulty, his hat.
"Won't you take my seat, madam?" he inquired, with a smile of perfect
courtesy.
The young person was a young person of common-sense and she
caught the situation. She flashed a reassuring glance at Rex, hovering
distressed in the background, and shook her head at Strong politely.
"No--no, thank you," she said; "I think I can find a seat at this end that
will do nicely."
"Madam, I insist," Strong addressed her again earnestly.
"No, really," The young woman was embarrassed, for the eyes of the
car were on her. "Thank you so much," she said finally; "I think I'd
better stay here."

Strong bent over and put a great hand lightly on her arm. "Madam, as
gen'leman I cannot, cannot allow it. Madam, you mush take my seat.
Pleash, madam, do not make scene. 'S pleasure to me, 'sure
you--greates' pleasure," and beneath this courtly urgency the flushed
girl walked shamefacedly the length of