The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-04-09
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
BY Indirect Method.
RY JANE OSBORN.

wires that formed a network before
her over the switchboard at the Daw-
ldns plant. What else she did those
round eyes Of blue indicate but an un-
quenchable curiosity-not a malicious,
pfying sort OF curiosity, but a perfectly
open and guileless desire to know as
much as she could about as many Of
the people who worked at the plant as
IVES possible? Otherwise Kate would
have found these long hours irksome.
Her work would have been a supreme
monotony.
As it was there was nothing monot-
onous. The switchboard was trans
formed into the field for the most in
teresting excursions into the study Of
human nature. But Kate didn't get
this information about her fellow work
ers with an intent to spread it broad
cast or to gossip; she got it merely for
her own inner satisfaction and enter
tAinIient.
Besides having very round blue eyes
Kate had long black eyelashes that
shaded those eyes and a pink and
white complexion that somehow did
not lose its freshness in spite OF the
long hours at the switchboard.
The fact is there was quite a lot OF
feminine appeal about Kate enough to
have secured for her some dozen or so
OF admirers among the force at the
Dawkins plant, Hildreth Jones. right
hand man to the elder Dawkins, was
among them. Now Hildretk was an
outspoken mar enough when it am
10 business matters and there was Lit
lie that indicated timidity about him In
the way he Carried on" for the Daw-
Tins interests. but when 1t came to pro
ceeding with his courtship OF Kate ne
eyaded the direct method.
Il would have seemed so absurd he
reflected to ask Kate to accompany
him to Q show when by chance q SHOW
did come through the town where the
Dawkins plant was located. Hildreth
had no false notions of his own social
importance.
He felt no concern at having fallen
victim tn the charms of so humble .
personage as the telephone operator.
II It came to that he would have NOT
heSitated In marrying her, but he was
not at all eager to have 1t known that
he, had been rejected by her.
f3j;d,pth felt the best va" - 20
About 1t was by the indirect method.
He would first let her know Of his re-
gard, let her know also his prospects
and the fact OF his loneliness III This
town 80 far away from his 'houic. II
he could let her know these things in
some Indirect way, he selt somehow
she would he clever enough and kind
enough to let him know how she felt
toward him without actually bringing
him to a4declaration. {
El!dreth was not long in devsing
mis- plan and his accomplice vas his
elder sister. Stella Dawkins did her
bit toward carrying out the project
though OF course she didlt know at
the time. On arriving in the small
manufacturing town in response to the
elder Dawkins taking him on as his
general manager, Hildreth Jones had
been unable to find accommodations
III the already overcrowded hotel and
90 1t was that he was harbored in the
old-fashioned Dawkins mansion, given
a. latchkey and made to feel free to
come and go unnoticed and undisturb-
ed by any Of the Dawkinses.
Occasionally OF course Hildreth did
see Stella the only daughter, and less
often the stately Mrs. Dawkins, who
%apparently did not regard the fact that
he was SC closely associated with her
husband in business as a reason why
sn1ne should extend to him any sort OF
social cordially.
IsIf a letter comes for me from home
please call M up" Hildreth asked the
housekeeper one morning when he
had worked out his plot; but when the
letter did arrive the next day the
khousekeeper was out, and It was Stel-
las musical but rather formal tones
chat came over the wire. Hildreth
took II for granted that aKte was dis
tening In at the time. That was the
whole point in having his sister write
as she did.
Stella informed him that the special
delivery had arrived, Hildreth asked
her 10 open 1t and read it. He rather
hesttated to have her to perform this
service for him, but It was essential
to his plot. The letter was full OF
sympathy-he had told this intriguing
sister Of bis to make it so.
She assured him that she knew how
lonely he must be, assured him, too.
that she could tell from his letter that
the step contemplated was partly due
to his loneliness, but that, as he was
secure in his income, IL not from his
position at least from the family es-
tate which had now been adjusted she
thought 1t was quite time that he
take the step; assured him, too. that
IL the person in question felt well dis
posed toward him she would show her
Feelings in some way.
This was all the more or less vague,
Of course, but distinct enough, Hildreth
thought go that Kate would understand
as she overheard the reading Of the
letter.
That evening Htldreth hurried past
Kate as she sat at the switchboard.
One OF the shipping clerks. who ought
20 have been working ct the time, was
leaning over the switchboard and Hf-
Areth6 feeling was not so much OF jeal
ousy as Of annoyance that the younger
woman whom he had chosen as his
ideal Of loneliness should permit that
particular sort Of familiarity.
Stella Dawkins was in the spacious
center hall OF the old MANSON as he
entered the house, and he would glad
Iy have passed her as hurTiedly as he
had passed Kate, but she detained him.
He was beginning now to feel espec-