The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-01-19


was she who was speaking as he was
that it was himself who was listening.
This Is 332," he began.
Before he could get further there
was a despairing exclamation from the
other end Of the wire, while the only
voice In the world pleaded. Wont you
please ring off?"
Lansing laughed delightedly. but that
laugh cost him his chance.
'How are you, Mrs. AudleyT' he be-
gan, but a buzz. buzz, buzz-z-z-s,
buzz-z-z-z was all that he got for his
pains. Nor did his frantic ringing nor
the things he said to central avail him.
Don't know, sir. Can't find out"
was all that the distant, impassive
voice Of the operator vouchsafed, and
with a sigh Of evaporation he at last
hung up the receiver.
She was back in the city then. Some
where In the wilderness of brick and
stone that Incompatible voice was
making music. but not for him. Sud-
denly Mrs. Stanton's warning remark
fell upon his ears as IL 1t had been
spoken by some invisible presence.
Penelope has many suitors."
The thought goaded him. While he
tarried. allowing mere life and death
matters to detain him. what might not
have happened7 The truth came to him
now with a terrible, crushing force.
The one thing in life greater than all
other things was love. And, strange
and unnatural as it might seem, he
loved with all his Eeart a woman
whom he had practically never seen,
since that brief, dim half hour in the
Stanton drawing room seemed more
like an encounter of souls than an ac-
tual meeting, where the sweet, strong
woman Of her had been revealed to
him In that strange, vibrant, caressing
voice.
Inquiry at the Stanton residence did
not put him forward. They were still
in Europe, and the housekeeper did not
know when they would return. Nor
could she tell him anything of Mrs.
Audley.
Baff1ed, but determined, he left no
stone unturned for the next three
weeks, but without success. Edith
Audley seemed to have disappeared in
the crowd Of the unknown, and he
wondered II that fool Stanton would
ever bring his wife back from Europe.
Then, in the most casual manner, the
information that he had sought in vain
came to him. Waiting moodily for a
friend In the Turkish room Of the Wal
dorf late one afternoon, the strident
repetition Of name at last recalled
him to his whereabouts.
''Symington! Mr.. Symingtonr' sang
out call boy in a nasal tone, looking
inquiringly about as he sauntered
through the room.
None Of the men scattered about the
room responded. and the boy tried
another tack.
Gard for Mrs. Audley! Card for
Mrs. Audleyr' he reiterated, with an
expression that implied that the fel,
low who had sent his card to that lady
must be trying to conceal himself
Then suddenly a gentleman near the
door beckoned to him energetically.
"Mr. Symingtonr demanded the
boy. At the gentleman's negative re
ply be looked away very weary. But
when the latter, pressing quarter in.
to his hand, asked certain question
he replied with mitigated severity.
Lansing's first impression Of he,
when at last she came toward him In
broad daylight was that she was like
reed. The eyes were dark and q
trifle wistful, the mouth wide, flexible
with thin, vivid lips. And then that
moving voice fell upon his ears TO,
the third time, and he only knew that
she was all that he had ever dreamed
Of In woman-and more.
Talk to me! Talk to me!' he would
beg playfully during the weeks that
followed. when he was trying with al
the arts he could master to lead hel
to the point that he had reached at 9
bound.
I'm growing jealous of my owI
voice." she said to him at last, with Q
hurt, questioning look In her eyes. II
sometimes think that 1t isn't my
friendship that you care for at all, but
it's only that my voice appeals to you
touches some chord in you. I don'1
just like it,
And it was then that Lansing told
her, told her with an ardor that she
could not doubt ending with, 'Youl
voice, my darling. is the most beauti
| full thing in the world, but it's beauti
full because 1t is you put into sound.
And, being but woman. what could
| she do but believe?