The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-04
by NJ. j. PHILLIPS.

tCopSrtght. 1Sl1. Dy the aSSoCtatea
Literary Press.)
Hello" said Neil Banding; is
this Broad Five-nine-e light -seven?
Nine" and five" sound much alike,
especially when the wire is not work
ing well. A girls voice at the other
end Of thu line said Yes" IN that
faraway, eeria. impersonal tone that a
contrary telephone Will sometimes
i'm part.
This IN the Williams valentine
Machine Company. Please send one
of your trucks down for a pickup"
Just moment. please" returned
the ether voice, a little more distinct
ly, you have the wrong number. This
IL Broad Five-five eight
"oh!" calculated Handing. Il want
ed Ftve-ulna instead OF Fivs-nye. Beg
pardon.
"Granted--Mr. Handing"
Handing secured the express COM
pany's office and delivered his mes
sage before allowing himself to pom
der on this most surprising re5oinder-
The girl with the faraway voice knew
his name.
He was a humble unit In the big
office force OF the Williams Valentine
Company. He knew scarcely score
of persons in the cty's swarming hun
dred- thousands. and certainly. he de-
clared to himself, not a girl with SO
pleasant and we'll modulated a voice.
| Handing looked about the office
speculativety. Was ii Joke OF one
Of the stenographers, using another
phone crossed with hisf No. All We're
at their accustomed places Perhaps,
then, his COMPENSATION had been car
ried on with the private office OF MIR,
Williams or MIR. Valentine.
| But this guess proved Incorrect The
doors were open; from the president
office came the urgent click of Miss
Peters' typewriter. From the other
room sounded the steady orone OF Mr.
| Valentines voice AS he dictated &c
| Miss Marvin.
| Neil Blanding put the mystery away
| for pondaring during less urgent mo-
ments. There was work to do now. He
| lay awake half that night In his mar
row, sitting hall bedroom But the
baking heat seemed more bearabIe
| than usual. He had the incident OF
the day 60 think ahou,.
T He smiled az he took dUwn ire re-:
ceiver. II WAS Just this hour yester-
/ day he had called. and had bean
| given the wrong number, or course
the incident was closed. as far as he
was concerned. In due time he would
undoubtedly ind out who that girl
was.
| Number" said Central
| Handing replied: Broad Fve-flve-
Ieight-seven."
He realized. before the words had
| barely passed his lips, that he had
called the number which had been
uppermost in his mind for twenty
| four hours.
Broad E'tve-fve-- eight-seven," said
! the girls voice. as familiar to Bland
/ ing's waiting ear as though he had
been hearing 1t for years.
| Oceanic Express Company" he
queried, craftily.
/ Came a little ripple of laughter
NO. Mr.. Banding; you have the
wrong number-again."
| who liz this" he demanded, bold
ly.
Broad Five ve-eight-seven,'' came
| the denrure reply.
| Yes. but who Is that"
WHY don't you look it up In the
| book" was the retort, in voice fair
/ fy bubbling with mischief He heard
the receiver click back on the hook.
| Why. indeed? 1t would be mon
umental task. as he OWNED by a
glance at the ponderous. blue-bound
| book.
BlandtnE iOltefeu tnat night until
he was the last person In the office.
Then he took the telephone book
from Its shelf and hurried out with
1T.
After midnight he found the num-
Der and its complement: Frank 10
| linski. 32s 25th street.
That didn't sound very encourag-
| ing; but then. with swift loyalty he
told himself that it would BIO all right.
| He fell asleep and dreamed about q
girl of wonderful beauty with voice
of gold.
lie was two hours early the next
morning. partially that he might so
far out of his way to pass S28 25th
street. and partially to return the
telephone book before It would be
needed
His heart sank to his boots when
no stopped in front Of the number.
1t was small, dingy brick store In
neighborhood. OF small. dingy brick
stores Over the door was O big
sign: frank Zolinski. Fine Wines
and Liquors"
that the place was empty. and that
ITO Rent" sign was displayed prom
inently In the window. OF course!
The phone number had been trans
ferred to another subscriber, whose
name was not yet In the book.
That day he called Broad 66S7
without suhterfuge. The girl was
| pleased to bo Aerfous.
! "Tou mnstn't think ! an doing