"My good man," exclaimed the woman majestically, "when a person in good healthand accustomed to normal activity suddenly loses the power to useher--er--feet, isn't that an indication of some physical trouble?"

Her unfortunate and un-American phrase, "my good man," had nettled theconductor, and besides his train was losing time.

"We'll miss connections at the Junction if we fool away much more time,"he exclaimed testily. "I wonder--Why look here! No wonder you can't useyour feet!"

To the elderly woman's horror he had swooped down and laid a notungentle hand on her ankle in its neat and smart-looking shoe. Now hetook out his knife, slashed twice, and held up the pieces of a stoutlength of twine.

"You were tied to the seat-base by the heels of your shoes," he informedthe patient grimly. "0ne leg tied to the other, too. Well, Jim, take inyour signals--guess we can mosey along."

"And who would have expected her to wear high-heeled boots!" exclaimedBobby, with real amazement showing in voice and look.

The few passengers in the car, aside from the school contingent, wereopenly laughing. The victim of this practical joke turned a dull white andthe glare she turned on the back of the luckless Tommy's head was proofenough that she really knew exactly where to lay the blame.