Show DAILY SHORT FICTION STORY A FRANK OPINION By ARTHUR WALLACE PEACE Copyrighted 1918 1916 by br McClur N Ne P Syndics Syndi cs Cola Park Haydon was depressed In spirits spir spir- Its He h had d spent a lonely evening in the city and was on his way t to the suburb where he roomed The ca car was the last one for the night and 1 it contained only two passengers beside himself a himself a girl and a fl flashily shUY dressed dresse young fellow The girl was slender In figure small and pretty of face and dark o of hair She seemed to be restless an and under some kind of strain But Haydon's thoughts rested with wit his fellow passengers only a a. brief brie time He was thinking that something was wrong with him For four years year he had worked as a clerk in the office of the firm without a raise of salary He had made few friends friends and and not a girl had lad ever smiled upon him To a lonely chap a friendly girlish smile smil means a great deal and Haydon knew knet it His chief trouble was that he did no not know what was wrong with him He Hi was square and honest bonest in his dealings worked hard and was willing to do di others a good turn A light touch on his shoulder drew drev his attention and he turned to look into the shape oval-shape face of the girl gir passenger It was a girlish face am amon and andon andon on it was an anxious worried expression expression expression sion that gave a touch of pathos to her hei dark eyes She sank Into the sea seat with him and spoke hurriedly her hei white throat quivering as she spoke and a 3 little color showing in her hei cheeks Please dont don't think me forward but bu that man there has been following meI me I r think Ive I've seen him a few times time before I r live in m this section and I 1 have quite a way to walk through a adark adark dark street Im I'm afraid he may get set of off and follow me Will you help me I I- I really dont don't know what to do 1 I dont don't see how the conductor can help heli me Can you tell me what to do Haydon was dazed for more than s a moment No girl had ever spoken to tc him other than In the course of business bustness bust busi ness and here was a pretty frightened bUSI 1 girl asking his aid He looked ahead at the man to whom she had referred He was broad shouldered and the shoulders su suggested strength Hayden Hayden Hayden Hay- Hay den recalled stories s he had heard Something desperate might be done I if such a a aman man were opposed The girl was waiting Please dont don't think I am too easily frightened she went on hastily He may not bother me but I cant can't go any further to the town for I 1 know no one there In her her state of mind her words were not entirely clear but Haydon gathered their Import He looked again at the shoulders and saw a keen sallow face glance back and then turn quickly away A shiver went through him There was something cold and sinister in his hiS' face Haydon moved his feet teet uneasily I dont don't know he tie answered hesitatingly I 1 dont don't believe he will hurt you He stopped because he realized how cowardly cowardly cowardly cow cow- ardly and inane his words seemed The girls girl's sensitive face flushed quickly He saw that she looked at him with contempt Without a word she went to her seat The car sped on At last the girls girl's i hand was raised as a signal to stop As she did so the other man roused I himself and repeated the signal With a white face the girl rose rose and staggered down the aisle to the door and after her the man whom she feared After they had alighted and the car had moved away the conductor tor a slight gaunt-faced gaunt youth came up to Haydon What was the matter matte with the girl girl he asked Haydon Haydon told him The lean Jaw dropped ands and the young fellow stared at Haydon Why didn't you go with her her he demanded Why should I butt in was the hearted half reply The conductor turned with an oat oath I of disgust I 1 know what the trouble I is wi with h youre you're youre you're a blamed coward He Jerked the bell Now you get off I beat it back there and see that girl gets home You dont don't ride on on this I car I If somebody had shocked him with electricity Haydon could not have been more startled A coward In a moment he was outside the car was vanishing and he w was s saying to himself Just what what's s. s wrong wrong I Im I'm a coward A new sensation caught and tore In his throat throat throat-a a wrenching gagging force that was the pride of manhood roused and stung to the quick He found himself sprinting down the avenue toward the side street up which the girl had fled The The soft rubber soles of his shoes made little sound on the asphalt pave He turned turned the street and listened Down it t a arno o great distance he heard voices He slid along through the shadows and the voices grew nearer Then he made out indistinctly through the darkness two figures Just beyond him and at the same moment a terrified call for help broke the silence A snarl broke from Haydon's lips Ups He clutched forward wildly and his fingers I sank into a throat throat throat-a a mans man's He ground his teeth and set his fingers fingers fin fin- I gers with all his strength into the yielding flesh He felt the man writhe I under him felt his startled cry fight for utterance under his relentless fin fin- gers Then followed a d desperate sp r Ee pressure of muscles against his His head was battered and bruised his his' body tortured tortured tor tor- tor- tor with the weight placed upon It but his fingers held to the to-the the throat Over and over up and down back and forth In the darkness and ald re m mire pf the street they struggled for for forthe the mastery until H Haydon knew he had had won A blinding light streamed m d' d Into his face voices called and a sharp voice said Let Ld go lad Youve You've got him all right all right Haydon let go S' and arul sat up Three policemen were lifting a limp figure into the of their car One of ot them came carrie back t to Id him You better come along with us Youre You're battered UP In great shape if you only knew it It Well We'll take the girl along to her house Haydon refusing the offered arm staggered tp to t th the car car r. r and d entering it sank weakly into a seat Something pressed against him in the darkness as the car started Car started started something clasped d around his neck and something warm and fragrant rested fragrant rested on his lips Ups Again a shock cleared his consciousness the lips of the girl They l left ft her at her home a humble humblet e t I little place Then the car car turned away On the way back to the station Haydon asked one of the officers how they to come The conductor of one of th the cars ears stopped in We were doubtful but we thought it would do no harm to run out By the way it must take some nerve to tackle a. a man thirty pounds heavier than you w We found a knife in the grass too Howd How'd you do It Haydon shook his head I 1 lit Into him that's all But Im I'm going to get wise to a few boxing and wrestling stunts after arter this I may need them Something has been wrong with me for years I 1 haven't dared to ask for fora a raIse haven't dared ask a a. girl to go goto goto to a show Im I'm on now you now you bet A chap called me a coward a-coward coward and Its It's the luckiest word I ever had spoken to me The policeman looked at him curiously curi curl fee feel teel better after arter the surgeon fixes you up he said quietly |