“You deserve a medal of thanks, young man,” said an elderly gentleman to Larry. “That sort of thing is getting all too common in the subway. That fellow ought to ride in a cattle car.”
“Well, he isn’t going to ride in this one to-day, that’s sure,” spoke another man, for at that moment, and just as the unmannerly fellow started to get back on board, the guard let the door shut in his face, and the train began to pull out of the station. “He’s left, and it serves him right,” went on the man with a chuckle, as he glanced at Larry.
“It’s the second express he’s missed this morning,” spoke the young reporter. “He made me miss one, too,” and he told of the incident at the head of the subway stairs. As the express rushed on through the tunnel-like blackness, Larry and the men about him entered into an informal conversation about crowds in the subway, and the actions of certain men who seemed to have no regard for the rights of others.
Soon Fourteenth street was reached, and Larry, looking through the car, saw the girl, whom he had assisted, getting ready to go out.
“Guess she works in some of the stores around here,” mused the young reporter. “She’s pretty all right,” and as the girl passed him, on her way to the door, she nodded and smiled brightly. Larry raised his hat, and found himself wishing he knew who she was. He almost made up his mind to take that same express the next morning, on the chance of seeing her again.
“But I hope I don’t meet that pushing chap,” Larry went on, “for he and I would surely get into a row.”
The train rushed on along again, and, a little later, Larry was in the elevator, being lifted to the editorial rooms of the Leader, to begin his day’s work. He was a little late and he did not like that, for he was generally prompt.
“Hello Larry!” a number of reporters in the local, or city, room greeted our hero as he entered.
“Hello!” he answered back, and, as he was passing on to his desk, one of the copy boys said to him:
“Mr. Emberg wants to see you, Mr. Dexter. He’s been asking two or three times if you’d come in yet.”