Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-18
CHAPTER IXXII.


The shrill call of the telephone in
the living room rang through the
early morning darkness of the apart
ment.
Drowsily 1 heard, and it mingled
with my dreams of Jim's tenderness
to me the night before. Half-sleep-
ing and half-waking, l lived again
through,the ugly moment when jim
had suggested that We share an
apartment with Phoebe and Vir-
ginia-who didn't even speak to me.
l smiled dreamily at the memory
of my provocative rSeply--"Would
you be bored living alone with me 2"
| remembered with delicious thrill
the passion with which Jim had set
his lips to mine in reply. crght a..
Through those dreams the phone
went on shrilling its summons.
Startled to full wakefulness, L
glanced at Jim's watch, hanging
from the corner of his bed. II was
only s.
Evidently Jim could sleep through
New Years chimes or the lombard
ment of a city, since that tuneless
uluu plClCt ilio oANAAAbNt -
Resentfully I slipped into my robe
and slippers and pattered out to the
room where Neal slept like peace
full cherub through all the alarm.
The call was for him-he was or
dered to report at the station, in
stead of at the draft board, accord
ing to the usual procedure, at 2.3O.-
one hundred men would start at
once for the artillery camp. Stoop-.
ing over Neal, set light kiss on
his red curl that fluttered right
across the middle of his forehead.
"Laddie, dear-wake up. You're
starting. west today, and there's
lotto do" l whispered.
Neal opened his eyes for a secondI
them turned over sleepily, flung up
his Arm to ward off what was dis
turbing him, and was sound asleep
again in another second. i laugheG
them set my hands on his shoul-
ders and shook him to reproachful
wakefulness.
aOh That's it? So I'm on my
way"
Then suddenly he sat UP in bed
and shook his fist vindictively.
"Babbs, sit down here for a min
ute so we can be alone while 1 tell
you about last night. That Nir-
ginia!-shut the door, Babbs, so old
Jim won't hear. She's got him buff
faloed-he's plum crazy about her.
The doors closed, dear. Tell
me-" l whispered-happy that Neal
was going to open his heart to me
again.
well, Virginia butted in and
went along. Smooth as silk! First
she tells Jim, of course, L may have
tI1nn
the minute he's gone she turns to
! Blalte and asks him if he's busy or
woufI he motor us somavhers IN as
cosey little foresome. And he falls
for IT, So what could l do?
Never minute alone with
Phoebe except when we were dane
ing. Even on the way home Vir-
ginia kept turning around and talk
ing to us three in the tonneau-so
we didn't feel alone for a minute. 1t
was fiendish. And Phoebe-means
everything to me, Babbsie. I'd
Id have given-anything- kiss
her goodby just once"
His voice broke. My heart
swelled with longing to make Neal
happy. l held him close-murmur-
ing mother words of comfort, And
then l made plan.
Listen Lad, won't you be run
ming over to say good-by to Evvy?"
] asked. "All right, run along, and
when you come back We'll see what
We'll see!"
1 would tell him no more, but
right after breakfast l phoned
Betty AZ
You've, often shown .yeuP--' will
ingness to be friends, Betty. Can
count on you now-when l need
you?" / asked.
And when ] got a warm assurance
that | could indeed count on her.
conquered my pride and told all 1
dared. '.
Virginia is angry at me, Betty
we don't even speak-and 1t would
he uncomfortable for me to have her
here to dinner to-day. But | want
Phoebe, and / can't have her. alone
unless l get rid of Virginia for just
this once ~-- 90 .. -.--r..- -
BLESS your heart, I'd love a cosy
Sunday with Wee. I'm sorry you've
had a misunderstanding. Well soon
fix that. But now I'll call her right
up-'by, Anne dear"
l put up the receiver and turned
with a strange sense of something
all wrong. There stood jimmy
oP 10 ct oh