"Well, here's your chance!" said Armorer.

Harry swung round in his chair, his clinched fists on his knee.
He was frowning with eagerness, and his eyes were like blue steel.

"See here, Mr. Armorer," said he, "I am frank with you.
I want to please you, because I want to ask you to let me marry
your daughter. But I CAN'T please you, because I am mayor of
this town, and I don't dare to let you dismiss the conductors.
I don't DARE, that's the point. We have had four children
killed on this road since electricity was put in."

"We have had forty killed on one street railway I know; what of it?
Do you want to give up electricity because it kills children?"

"No, but look here! the conductors lessen the risk. A lady I know,
only yesterday, had a little boy going from the kindergarten home,
nice little fellow only five years old ----"

"She ought to have sent a nurse with a child five years old, a baby!"
cried Armorer, warmly.

"That lady," answered Harry, quietly, "goes without any servant
at all in order to keep her two children at the kindergarten;
and the boy's elder sister was ill at home. The boy got on
the car, and when he got off at the crossing above his house,
he started to run across; the other train-car was coming,
the little fellow didn't notice, and ran to cross; he stumbled
and fell right in the path of the coming car!"