The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-10-04
d AL 81 ]
So 0.RT STORY
aCrossed Wires
q Er.adnrIoIf Far

N4QUu8n lLCBINLby On E10 He4k "
Central and Reed Davidson leaned
aRainst the wall OF the booth to
Z await what Fate might bring forth:
He Ms embarked on that long and
pfrtI6iig adventure known as get.
ting q number.
Eftsr due delays and much ear:
racIItnE bilzzingS O voice reached
him darlington Company"
WHO IS this speaking?
Afhtrppolit Agency. was. IN
gtructed 70 speak to Miss Darling
ton regarding the matter OF the J.
s5d: yes. I'll put you on her
mother short wait, and then In
fhia ear Mise Darlington speaking.
Who Is this, please?"
But In the short interval it took
Tor those words TO get over the
shummtng miles OF copper thaL
atTetiched between HIM and the rel
low nversationalist, Reed David.
son had been transformed from
man OK business with an important
matter 10 speak OF TO windy ex-
cited young man with a mystery on
his hands.
THAT voice! But the name was
= Gariina ton, and he remembered ilat
her name had been Stratton before /
before that June evening when they
hRd duarreIed and she had told him
but she didn't understand; ne
Isi1ew And then. he had lost her;
+ and now il WINS her voice! With q |
mighty effort he mastered himself. !
Miss D-Darlington?" He was
spayrinK for time.
I ftYestl There was q slight shade |
OF ilupntience IN the voice. Evil
IDENTIFY Miss Darlington was press
ed for time He forgot the haunt |
B ing voice, and plunged into the mat
ler IN hand. In five minutes 1t was
SSttled-he found himself admirlng /.
i fhe cfIsu precision with which the !
Woman az the other end OF the wire |
! dispoaed OF troublesome details.
Very well-I'u write you a letter
confirming the conversation at once.
Ny repreBentatdves will call IN a |
day or SO. Good-bye!"
Good-by!" He hung up the re.
catYer and went out to think. It
I couldn't be she, OF course-not with !
that name-and yet-the solution
Hei couldn't be deceived In the tones |
even over the wire. But the nameI
well, that was easily explained.
: She had married some one named
DBrltnE ton and for business reasons
called herself miss" That was 1t. !
turned to the office, sick at heart. |
IIis chief greeted him.
We'll, did you put that Darlington
matter through"
4SGood Work!l I'll put you on II
entirely for the finishing touches"
mo, chief don't want i"
t.But, Great Scott. man! It's, al
4 big deal YTYou stand TO make lot |
out of It In commissions. And. l
know you can carry 1t out to tine
Queen's taste. What's the matter
with youY Scared of woman"
Pretty close to the mark, thought
1dson; but ne merely ,IepAed;
\ I'd rather not handle It, II you
at mind I-Im feeling sort OF
duHp and out"
SThe chief looked at him keenly
"a an right, old man. Tompkins !
can have the Job. Better take a
weekend of-go out in the country
somewhere. Do you good. And
ha turned again to his desk. /
Bpt it was not country air that
Davidson needed. That night he
fossed upon his bed, sleepless, tor.
turing himself with the thought OF
al he had lost. In the morning he
arose dressed mechanically, ate u
stela1A breakfast, and from force |
of habit wendell his way toward
tie office. When there no was met
With q scene of excitement. The
chief called him into his office at
y aO1d man, I'm sorry intended
you're here Tompliins Is laid
up- cute' indigestlo that Oar
lineton matters got to be settled to-
day! You're the only man who can !
handle It. Go ahead, put 1t over, and
you can have a week to rest up in, I
ITS tough but it can't be helped. /
Be sport-we need you now as
We never needed you before"
Davidson shesitnted. 1t would be
agony for him to meet her; but he
r0tld not desert the company IN its
neod, He squared his shoulders,
Can right, chief. I'll take 1t,
he said quietly.
tiGood mani Tompkins made an
appointment with her for 1890;
You II Just about have time TO get
there. Good, luck"
Davidson left the Office and made
hig way downtown he mentally
| IA tlie busy outer office OF the Oar
lfnEton company he waited; then
sgiri bruugh him his card which heI
1 6ad sent In and said, Miss Oar.
y lington Will see you now"
BE rosa and entered the inner
ofEice. The slender girl seated at
tina big desk at the side OF the room
did not look up at first, but he knew
thRh he had not been mistaken In
LiIe Voica@t that Il was indeed his lost
Sloya: The knowledge that she was
ont OF his reach forever made him
SICK and ghabyi but he steadted his
voice and said:
idiss Darlington, I called to see
tyot about thu j. II. Day account"
AZ the sonnd Of his voice she
3TfhirIed suddenly, cheeks flushed,
shining, Her hands clasped
gelYeB oYeg her heart. Then
dnah dIBd, and a deadly white
took ~ place. "You!" was
he said.
les, too latel" Davidson could
killed himself the next mo-
g tor tfttertng those, words, but
strain had bean too much. That
no way 10 talk TO a girl who
married someone else. He trieo
revert 20 business
bout that account" he began,
10 ngTer fintshed. She had
led her arms to him, and he,
SssetttnR an else, held her close,
liBGinR her cheeks, her eyes, her
9pA, and murnuring old, half-torgot-
ten net nantsg In her ear. In q mo-
pment he Ielea sed her, his face stern.
Xou tempted me-, he said. Il
Gbonld not have done this. Your
lVtl9Ya Inns ~ ~