The evening world., 1915-03-03

oh. perhaps did help Mr.. Pinck-
ney more than bit," he admitted,
laughing. 'r don't mind that. for I
fancy we'd scarcely become franti-
cally friendly with each other. any
way. But refuse to let you disqual-
NY me from He hssitatsd.
'Oh, believe ne. Mr.. Sommers,s said
Frances. laughing. u shall not let
anything you did for ~ down at
Bagoi stand In the way Of my bscom-
ing - 'frAntioally frien1ly' with you
q ! should otherwise. But Lieut.
Collins has been telling me also'-
she changed the subject swiftly-'of
your different diversions upon occA-
sions such - this. So II you can con-
slider me q friend, In spite Of having
almost had TO save me, Will you tell
"Its rather one on me, I'm AFRAID"
the officsr confessed.
"But you'n tsllf'
"Yes; IL v, Aiss Durant, that-that
there II none." he said. looking away
Queerly.
why. what do you meanf" asked
the girl disappointedly. You haven't
prepared anything this yearT
'Oh, I'd prepared the best sell yeti"
His eyes lighted mischievously.
"And then had to call you to come
and help Us at Bagol. and delay YOU
90 long you couldn't accomplish I'll"
"Not exactly that, Miss Durant."
mot exactly. Mr.. Sommers7'
~ mean It wasn't the delay which
stopped me from doing 1t, but
He hesltated again.
This time the girl waited.
But you &c.," he continued, about
that time-a couple of days ago
what do you suppose foundf It
really was funny; but wanted sud
denly to be-well, grown up."
Never before q couple Of days ago,
Mr.. Sommersr
We'll, never for such . continuous
time. Miss Durant."
'Terriblel How long has It been
nowf Not all Of three days, sursly?"
why did you guess exactly three
days?" He turned quickly.
She colored-e deeper pink than
usual for trying to prevent It. "Oh.
Just guessed. from
From the time you first spoke to
me by the wireless" he finished for
manded 1t directly.
She did not answer.
1T u almost weird. Isn't II, Miss
Durant," he continued suddenly. "how
q person with any sort Of individu-
atty cannot do anything without put
ting his-or her-personality into 1t
somehow? One can't speak: one can't
write: one can't even send Q COM
munication through the air by wire
less without twisting It Just his--or
her-own way. and somehow different
used TO the strange fact that no two
persons can naturally write In exactly
the same way. And I guess regular
telegraph operators, and even regular
wireless operators. arc pretty we'll
used, too. to the fact that two persons
can't oven talk with an electric cur
rent In the Same way. Every one
must tap his key 30 a. to mark him
At the other end. He can't even write
some one else. But It seems almost
weird sometimes. doesn't NJ"
1T does" returned the girl. ''But I
know. too, that It's true. Harry
fathers regular operator-claimed he
could always tell whether . man was
weak or strong, steady or tired. Or
sometimes--afraid. He used to form
positive friends and enemies Just from
tho differences In tho way different
operators used to talk to him. know
he could almost always tell them
apart"
''Yes: 20 please don't laugh at mo
now for what I'm going to say. For I
don't deceive myself into thinking
that, from Just your special way Of
talking over tho wireless, could have
imagined you at all adequately. But
this 10 true. Miss Durant," he went
on, seriously. That morning whom
first you called tho San Juan--I had
heard about your father coming, but
nothing about you'll had been trying
40 A. ~ hn
within communication. l got no an
swer. But was still up there In our
wireless room. Just killing time In
thinking UP the sell wanted to work
on the people here at Manila this
year. and then suddenly. you-a girl
was talking to mo from the receptors
before me.
TT CERTAINLY startled me to discover
that from somewhere behind that cir
Gle Of sea a girl was sending her nerv-
Gus, impetuous personality to speak
to me. answered: and then you told
me who you were, and that you were
going TO Manila Well. had just boon
thinking Of what I was going to do
with myself when got back 70 Man
Ia; and was wondering II ! would
meet that girl there and, II should,
what she might think OF me.
Tnon the next uoThiuBs WoOu you
crossed mo and played with mo the
way you did"
The girl raised her head. flushing
deeply at the remembrance. Il was
very foolish and childish to do that"
she said. II almost"
mo, Miss Durant!" he interrupted.
I'm fact, II It hadn't been for the
trouble I thought must be coming.
that argument with you was the best
part of ALL" He laughed. "Why, ia
been down there two long years. with
nothing but saluting marines ana
. sailors answering Yes. sir. and very
good, SIR to every remark I'd make
till / was Just praying for mutiny.
And then you-a girl--just coming
coolly within my Communication ra-
dius to cross me and play with me
that wayl
ut was moro IKE talking to YOU
than anything else could BE-. And
then you-did what you did there;
and came and found II all out. You
were going TO Manila, and I had e
come straight here too. ! tell YOU II
made me think q lot that nAght Of
OF that girl who had been tauung tc
me that way, and then had stood b,
to save her frtende a you did. And