Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-12-15
THE WIRES
CROSS - ~.
By JOANNA SINGLE
Copyright, 1901, by Daily Story Pub. co.,


nEGGY had conscience; this trou-
bled her little. Worst still, she
had heart-no, four hearts-her own.
which she had taken back from Jack
Trent because she accused him OF fiirt-
ing with Nell Forest; Jacks, which he
declared would be hers forever,
though she would not allow him to
explain how he came to have Nell
canoeing; and the tive hearts OF Bob
by James and Ned Browne, respective
ly. Peggy was sure she had forgotten
Jack-almost, anyway, and that she
had been right to dismiss him as she
had. True, she also had flirted little,
but-6ne somehow expects a man to be
stronger. So Peggy, her heart in her
hand, vacillated between Ned and Bob
by in what she thought was sincere
doubt as to which Of them she should
give the coveted treasure. They both
wanted 1t; neither had exactly pro-
posed, but Peggy was familiar with
the symptoms.
Right here is where Peggy's con-
science came in. Was 1t right to dan
gle them, to encourage them both, as
she had done for six months, and still
be no whit nearer q final choice be-
tween them? That the men knew
each other-had, in fact, been chums at
college-and that they were bitterly
Jealous of each other, made things
worse. Peggy was MORALLY afraid
that the wires would cross some time,
and that they would both be angry
She wanted people to be nice and pa
tient. She was not patient herself.
II they had not dwelt In separate
towns, one go miles east, and enc 80
miles west of her home, Peggy would
have had even more difficulty In keep
ing things straight
Here 1t was September, and neither
man knew that since May he had
made alternating weekend visits to
the lady's home. Each simply thought
1t was awfully good Of her to let him
come once in two weeks. Between
whites she had kept up lively CORE
spondence with them. They liked
Peggy's gay, fiirtatious letters. She
enjoyed their letters immensely. They
came thrice q week on the same mail.
Peggy compared the letters, the pho
tos Of the men, and the men them
selyes. Since she had forgotten Jack,
she must choose between them.
Peggy's mother calmly ignored her
daughters doings, in the hope that the
girl would return to Jack, who, as the
world knows, was made for Peggy.
Maternal wisdom restrained Mrs. Ben
ton from openly championing Jack;
instead, she accepted Ned and Bobby
with kind hospitality, and lightly
yelled amusement. She refused to take
them seriously.
One day while Peggy was writing.
her mother asked:
ITO those boys, supposed Which
are you going to keep for . perma-
nent plaything?" The girl was de-
mure. She looked at the two letters
she had Just written, each equally pro-
vocative and alluringly coQuettlsh.
81 don't know" she said, II don't
really! Bobby's so blonde and lovable
and chummy, and like lawyers But
Ned's so big and dark and splendid
he could make me mind, think. And
Nell Forest semes to want him"
That" said her mother, should
make no difference to you"
Peggy's face grew red with anger.
"The catl | guess you'd want to
get event What did she mean BY be-
ing with Jack when he said business
kndered him from seeing me that
nightf"
"You would know. II you had let
him explain"
He didn't deserve the ehAnea
have forgotten him, mother"
Evidently" said that lady dFyiy. |
and with inward rejoleinG WHERE
there is anger there "a hopN she lsft
the room saying:
Nov just put thoss lsttars IN the
wrong envelopes. PeCEJ. and you'a
have things MIXED badly GnougA 70
suit even yoa-