The Washington herald., 1913-10-16
DAVD'S DIVERSION.
BY MOLLY MINISTER.

Copyright, 1913. BY the Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.
David Davis eyed his long length of
| limb disdainfully. He sighed wearily and
wondered just how much time he would
be compelled to pass with his leg swathed
in yards of bandage and propped to
level with his head.
"Beastly bore" he muttered. and spent
| the following few moments hurting silent
invectives at golf balls. II had been
Davis knee that had stopped the Wild
fight OF a golf ball on the course, and
in consequence it had kept him a prisoner
in his room for the last nine days.
Davis was not a man who possessed
resources within himself He relied en-
tirely upon human intercourse for amuse-
ment interest When not with compan-
ions, Davis was wont to lapse into deep
est gloom or nervous irritability. His
present forced reliance upon his own
company was not being borne with any
display of grace.
IT will certainly have to cultivate a
crop of friends among the idle rich" he
told himself, $50 that IL / get another
game leg there will be some among them
who are not tied down to tedious office
and can come along to amuse me"
The telephone bell at his side tinkled.
Davis stretched forth a ready hand for
the receiver. Without the little instru-
ment as a constant link between him and
numerous friends he felt that he would
have climbed out and walked, knee or no
knee.
"HelIor he called through the tele-
phone.
The voice that answered back was
feminine, more or less hesitant and un-
familiar.
rs this Mr. DavisT' she asked-"the
Mr.. Davis who plays golf?''
He did play golf" laughed Davis
dryly. He has lost much of his love
for the game" he added, and wondered
who his fair interrogation might be.
The voice at the other end Of the wire
laughed softly, even mockingly.
'You are one of those burned children
who breads the fire. are you?' And be-
fore Davis could retort she added, 1T
is a pity to give up so healthy a game"
Davis laughed into the phone.
you would think II was a healthy
game il you could see my knee sticking
out in front of me like a lamp post
swathed in ghostly raiment. But
enough Of golf, Who are you and why
did you call me upe' He was conscious
of wanting very badly to know to whom
he was speaking.
"I called you up merely by way of
diversion for you. Once I was confined
to my room for a short time, and 1
most assuredly would have passed away
had it not been for my telephone.
Voices came to me from every direction
musical. nasal and strident-yet en-
joyed them all; they shortened the hours
for me-" She paused a moment, then
call you up again tomorrow
would I? You would make me be-.
iieve in angels If you were good enough
to do that Promise met he demanded
with a whimsical laughter.
"Are you quite sure there is no one
who will objectT' asked the voice, with.
II seemed to Davis, a trifle Of fear.
'If you mean, am in love?-no' I am
not Are your" he asked with audicious
promptness.
II will ring up tomorrow about
o'clock" her voice told him quickly. and
Davis knew the line had been discon-
nected. He swore softly under his breath
as he hung up the receiver.
He realized the utter futility of trying
to renew the call. The girl might have
been anywhere from Los Angeles to Ho-
boken. Also there was little use wonder
ing as to her identity. He told himself
that no girl of his acquaintance could
possess a voice of SO stirring and melodi-
Gus quality.
Davis spent many wakeful hours going
over the short dialogue and working him
self into a fever OF impatience until the
hour Of chimed on his great clock in
the hail.
Every one of the numerous calls be
received during the afternoon sent his
heart of the regular beat Davis lelt a
trifie ashamed Of the organ. yet the lure
of the girls voice still held him captive.
Perhaps the unusual little bit of adven-
tnre into the world OF romance was partly
to blame for the odd sensations that
Davis experienced
zone wonid think was in love-" he