The Yale expositor., 1915-06-17
Mistake. 'Cuse it, please"


those deserted canymlike streets
around Warrens office.
Impulsively she turned back to the
phone-she would call him!
Cortland 142S!" Then she waited
eagerly. 1t had been so long since she
had heard Warren's voice on the wire.
There had been no occasion to phone
him in London.
She could hear the buzzing at the
other end, but the expected click of his
taking down the receiver did not come.
Then at last, Cortland 1923 don't an
swer!"
"Oh. ring them again, central. I'm
sure someone's there"
Another long wait, then centrals
voice with a note Of finality, "They
don't answer. I'll ring you il get
them"
BafFled, Helen hung up the receiver.
He must be there! 1t was only thirty
minutes to his office, and it had been
an hour since he left.
Vaguely anxious, she went back to
her work. Taking off the dusty sheet
that had protected the bed, she turned
down the covers and laid out her night.
dress and Warren's pajamas. Some
how the bed, now ready for the night
gave the first touch of home to the
place.
Three times within the next half
hour she called Warren's office, but
still that battling, Cortland 1928 don't
answer"
Even If he had started home before
her first call, he would be here by
now. What could it mean? Every
gruesome possibility now obsessed her
an accident in the subway, in cross
ing a dark street, or in the elevator,
run by the sleepy watchman.
Was this a swift punishment for her
rebellious thoughts at the monotonous
routine of their home? Was this rou-
tine to be broken by some tragedy?
Abject In her remorse, with a tempes.
tuous change of feeling, her home life
now seemed ideal If only nothing had
happened to Warren!
By eleven o'clock Helen had worked
| a
Unheeding the stinging cold, she had
thrown up the library window and was
leaning far out, hoping to recognize
Warren in every muffled figure that
came up the street. Once more she
turned to the telephone.
Central" pleadingly, "see if you
can't get that number now!"
Again the empty buzzing and again
central's Indifferent, They don't an
swer."
Then, with a desperate determina-
ton, Helen found the number of a
well-known cab company and called
for taxi.
In blind, trembling haste she got
back into her travelling suit. This sus-
pense she could not bear a moment
longer. She was going down to his
office. II he was not there or had not
been there-then she would have to
call up some of his family.
She was slipping on her long steam
er coat when the front door banged.
A breathless second was followed by
the sound of Warren's heavy step.
He was struggling out of his over
coat. as with an inarticulate cry Helen
rushed into the hall.
"Oh, II"
But just then the telephone rang
out clamorously.
who in thunder knows we're
homer" Shaking off Helen's clinging
arms, he strobe into the front room
to answer 1t.
Hello, what's that? A taxi? You've
got the wrong number" GROSSLY. I'VE
didn't order any taxi here"
"Oh, yes-yes, we did," excitedly
Helen caught his arm. You'll have to
go down and give the man something
and send him away"
Warren stared at her.
"Oh, / couldn't get you on the phone
and l was terrified! l thought some
thing had happened. IL was going
down to the office!"
"Going down to the office? OF al
; blithering-"
Don't, dear, don't scold me now
, IL you won't send that cab away-TI
have to!"
"You stay where you are!" Warren
caught her by the shoulders and al
most flung her back in the room. Then
} the hall door slammed after him.
When he came back, Helen was
t curled up on the couch, her face In
t the dusty sofa pillows, sobbing nerv
ously.
Now what I'd like to know is,
Warren stood over her, his hands II
| his pockets, "if it's softening of the
, brain-or If you're just plain dippy?'
( He listened grimly, with an occa
! sional snort, while Helen sobbed ou
an account of telephoning and hel
! frantic anxiety.
{ What number did you CALI"
D "Why, Cortland, 1928"
Z "Got the new book, haven't you?-
{ right there by the phone. Why IL
q blazes didn't you look in II? My mum
ber's changed to Broad S120. Now |
you think you've had enough dra
matica for one night-Id like TO 20 4