Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-20

! l stared at it through misty eyes
! Then, slipping it into a corner of
! my handkerchief, | knotted it in
| hard TO keep it safe. Just as I'd
pulled the knot tight between my
! teeth, the telephone rang. [
stepped over to the little niche at
I the end of the fireplace and. perch
/ ing on the arm of the big couch. [
balanced the telephone on my lap
and took down the receiver.
! 1t was Jims voice which came to
me.
| Good work, Anne. You're a wiz
! to be answering the phone just
when /. want YOU he said for an
| swer to my hello. pat back YETI"
NO Jeanie walked TO the sta
! tion to meet him. and q. imagine
! they are tactfully driving about in
I the car which went down to bring
them back"
! why is it tactful for them to
keep away from home?
| detected u shade of irritation in
Jim's voice He isn't usually Jealous.
so / couldn't see why he was so
ready to be annoyed. Then with a
smile | realized that there was one
man in the world of whom he was
jealous, and that his mind was
likely to go leaping to Tony.
You've guessed it," l replied
mischievously, trying to prove my
theory There is man here now
whom I might presumably want to
have an uninterrupted talk.
"Well, I'll be hold on! Are you
telling me Lane has arrived ?" asked
my clever Jimmie. upsetting my
scheme and delighting me by the
a CT that had nnto11pSSnI me-
Yes That's what I'm telling
you"
That's bully. oh no, it isn't.
I'd like to be there to stand by
good, old Lane if he needs any
bracine. Still, III see him to-
morrow. And he's always been so
fond of you. | know you'll give
him whatever comforting he needs.
After all, that's a woman's job"
NO it isn't, Jimmie boy. This
is a mans job. Lanes. And he's
taken it on like the wonder he is
"Righto!" said Jim. Now sup
pose YOU call the good old scout to
the telephone. I'm not going TO be
able to get out tonight, as / fancy
YOU guessed from what L said be-
fore. I've got to stay in town to
go into some mighty important
matters. But I'll see Lane to-mor-
row, as YOU might tell him in case
YOU think it's more tactful not to
bother him to talk over the tele-
phone" $685."
But Jim, you ought to get out
tonight even if YOU can't make it
till late"-I began, but Jim inter
rupted with astonishing irritation:
81 tell you r can't! Why do YOU
want to start arguing?"
81 wasn't arguing. Don't let your
nerves get the better of you like
this dear. I just felt that you'd want /,
to make il when you TealiZe''- 4
"Realize nothing! Can't you stop
nagging. Anne? What's got into
you again."
Jimmie, dear! Will you let me
finish my sentence? I'm trying to
tell you that if You care to see Lane
it will have to be tonight. He
leaves in the morning. Val want to
go back to the old fruit ranch. So
tomorrow he starts across the con-
tinent-home.'
"By jingo Why didn't you say so
in the first place? Isn't Lane the
wonder! The most devoted husband
] ever saw. How much do you think
she told him. Anne?"
II can't guess. But now, of course,
There was a moments pause.
Then Jim's voice came back with
queer note in it that sounded like
laughter tingled with scorn:
NO, can't make it. Maybe it's
just as well. See you tomorrow
night. Give my best to Lane.
Tell him I'm sorry about this. 80
long" i
AS the receiver clicked up real
lied I hadn't told Jim that Uncle
Ned was leaving. SO l called his
office. After fifteen minutes sharp
tussle with various grades of tele-
phone operators, the managers Of
flee consented to try to get my num-
ber. Presently the phone rang
sharply. | took down the receiver
complacently, sure of victory.
over the wire came the words:
Your party doesn't answer"
ITO BE Continued)