The Press., 1918-05-23
By Vincent G. Perry


 located his memorandum book. That $ her. You will have to excuse me-" His voice had moduIated tO smoother pitch.
 That Is all right. l guess you are tired. We all get that way sometimes and must make allowances for others" said the girl without the least trace of filppancy in her voice.
 It was early morning before Doctor Reynolds was able to g0 to he'd and then he was too tired to sleep. AS he lay In bed he tried to forget the events of the day, but they kept crossing his mind. The conversation with the tele- phone operator seemed to have im- pressed him most and 1t was not so unpleasant tO think of as some of the other things. How sweet her voice sounded. he thOught-sO different to any other telephone operators, differ ent to any other wOman's, perhaps most like his mothers. He wondered what sort of girl she was, very fine girl if she was anything like her voice. It seemed a shame for a nice girl like that to be shaving away at a switch board. It wasn't any worse than a nurses life, though, he confessed as he thought of the tired faces he had seen that day. His mind kept wander Ing but always returned to the tele- phone operator. Her voice and polite words had certainly made more than an ordinary impression on him and he hoped some day to meet her. There wasn't much chance to do so. She might not come up.tO his expectations, If he did, so 1t was better to picture her as some fairylike creature. He wove all manner of pictures of what she would be like and fell asleep with his mind on her. He had very wOnder1 fnl dreams In which the girl with tho pleasant voice was the central figure. and awOke with his mind OM her.
 The hospital was filled and accom4 mOdatiOnS had to be taxed to the limit so for days Doctor Reynolds was nod able to think Of anything but his workj But the rush subsided as quickly ad 1t had begun and the hospital was re{ stored to normal routine. In the eye4 nings he was able to find time for red taxation and his thoughts went back to the telephone girl. After thinklna 1t over for few nights he decided on 8 plan. It was not difficult to think of someone to call up who he knewa would be away and not answer the telephone. When the voice that had impressed itself so firmly on his mem Ory asked for the number his heart beat faster.
 After a number of unanswered rings the girl opened the way for him to start conversation by saying '"This party doesn't answer the telephone"
 "DO you know If they have not been answering the phone for a number of days? l am particularly anwIous to know if they are out of the city" His cheeks burned at the consciousness of the lie.
 "l am almost sure they are" she re- piled. "It Is weeks since l have had A call for that number. I have noticed 1t particularly"
 Eff so, you must have been on this board for some time. Have you?" He hoped his tone would cause no offense.
 That gave the conversation good start and it was many minutes before Reynolds hung up the receiver. She was very fine girl, he was more than convinced then, and he wished he had found out her name. She seemed like a girl who would be offended if he got personal, he thought, and although he called her by telephone every evening for a week he had not the courage to ask her
 The next week was a busy one and It was the middle of 1t before he was able to get near the telephone In the evening. It was Il different operator who answered his call and he was dis appointed. The girl he wanted was off duty, that was apparent. Night l after night he called, but without sue cess. Finally one night he asked the | girl who answered, where the girl who | had been on that switchboard the | previous month, was. "She is ill and l is not expected to get we'll" was the | startling answer.
 The statement stunned him. Be | hung up the receiver without learning | anything further. He could not imag inc hIs girl of the beautiful voice, the 1 SAit NiO HIS uEeuIHS dS DClnS near death, and It took him hours to | realize that he might he Of some as- sistance to her. When at length he | did come to his senses, he lost no time l in communicating with the telephone office and securing the girls name andsf address. Her name was Violet Bloom, a fitting name for a girl like her, he thought, and she lived in a very mod est sectiOn of the city.
 Because of his profession 1t was not out of place for Doctor Reynolds to call at the address given him. It was a boarding house. She was girl very much as he had pictured her, but was wasted cruelty with her Illness. He looked about her and saw It could hardly be otherwise with conditions such as they were.
 "Your voice Is so familiar" she breathed weakly, after Doctor Reyn- odds had spoken kindly to her. Haven't l heard It some place be- fOreT
 T talked to you over the telephone. Don't you remember I called you from the hospital2" he said. forgetting 1t