The Red Cloud chief., 1919-10-09
The Secret
Phone
Copyright. 1919. by Western Newspaper Union.I
BY otillia Frances Pfeiffcr


company finds 1t out, I'll lose my job"
Then will get you better one"
81 know YOU pretty near run things"
admitted Mark Seaton, telephone line |
rcpaircr, "but you are asking me to |
break the rules of the company"
"I'll mend them mp later" alrily de-
clnred Jasper Worrell. "If 1t ever does
get out the men will call 1t cleverness,
and the ladies' will hail you rs loyal
emIssary of the love god, Cupid"
Jasper Worrell, manager of the local
telephone line, had got the devoted
Scaton his position but he was asking
his humble pensioncr to do good
deal for him. Jarvis had directed him
To tap wire leading into the home OF
Robert Brooks, to carry 1t to certain
secluded closet in the house, and put
In receiver, all the time posing as
n workman engaged In testing and re-
pairing the regular phone wire.
Here was the situation: The father
of charming Blanche Brooks had been
defeated in the local mayoralty con.
test the year previous by Jasper's
father. Bitterly Brooks had resented
the success Of his political rival. He
refused to speak to any Of the Worrell
family. When he heard that young
Worrel and his daughter had been
seen together on the street, he COM
manded her forthwith to have no fur
Their communication. with the son OF
his enemy, Blanche was dutiful
daughter. Jasper was all but engaged
to her. Blanche met. him just once
and sorrowfully advised him that their
dream of happiness was bighted.
"Never, no; abandon the thought"
declared Jarvis In his forceful, con.
fdent why. leave 1t all to me, dear
Blanche. I've won you, undeserving
rs / am to be so blessed, I'll win over
your father, too. Don't talk over that
rubbish of patiently waiting two years
until you are of age. Leave 1t all to
me. Within two months | shall be
coming to see you three times week,
with Father Brooks smiling well
come"
"But never 10 see you for eight
whole long weeks!" murmured
Blanche. "Never to talk with you J"
DISMISS that erroneous impress
sion," directed Jarvis buoyantly. "We
| shall have the sweetest, coolest, most
blissful chats every evening of our
lives and four times day, II you
wish" Insisted Jarvis, "and here's my
plan"
1t was daring one, and 1t quite
scared Blanche. A secret telephone
was to he Installed in secluded room
next to, and communicating with
Blanche's own apartment. All the art
and science expert Mark SeatOn could
employ was to be utilized In having a
phone with no bell call. A mere click
would call Blanche at the other END
of the line at an agreed on time. The
only caution to be exercised was t.
be certain that in talking to one an
other no one should overhear them
And so Mark Seaton, selecting al
occasion when Mr.. Brooks was absen
from home, duly installed the secre
telephone, and all Blanche had TO d,
was To lock the door of her room, g
into the next apartment, give the sic
nal and in low-voiced converse thos
two revealed In renewed love making
and tenderness
All this brought them no closer u
actual contact nor did II seem I
Blanche that her stubborn. determines
father was being made more approacl
able. Don't worry on that score,
encouraged Jarvis one afternoon. III
: working hard on that end of the proI
9 osltion. BE at the phone at o'cloc
y to the minute this evening. and L
n be ready to announce the prograI
d that Is going to win over Fatht
}. Brooks In a jlffy."
= Through the misadventure Of n d
lay at the house of n girl friend take
suddenly III Blanche did not get hon
by 8 o'clock that evening. At ju
that hour Mr.. Brooks passing thrOul
the upper hall. noticed an open wi
\ dow In her room and the rain bl0'
|. ing In. lie entered and closed 1t, al
Just then suspicious sound dIrect'
him 10 the unused apartment beyon
4 series of clicks echoed then ind
tinct sounds, as OF some one speaki
- In low tone.
/ Hello" CALCULATED Mr. Brooks
a amazement, ms, tracing the sound,
81 discovered the secret telephone behi
81 an old wardrobe. He picked up
1 receiver. At once the words W.
"a swept to his startled hearing
VI "Its all right, Blanche. I've fis
u everything. My father declines to
again for mayor. l have got In
n work with the fusion people on n &C
promise candidate. AS ! can sw
all our workers l can elect Fat
III Brooks. I'm one Of the commit
coming To apprlse him OF the SIT
,as ton In the next hour. KISS
-. ~