The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-11-27
Wires Were
Tangled
By cLARIsSA MAcKIE

(COpyTlSut.l
TEAM held the telephone receiver
j close to her pink ear, just as
though Bob Phillips himself stood be-
side her instead of sitting in his Office
staring dejectedly into his own trans
mitter.
! "Your dear old thingv' Jean MUIR
INJURED to Bob, and the response was
startling.
"How perfectly idiotic to talk that
way!" was the growing answer.
"What did you say?" demanded Jean
in freezing tone.
"Does it matter?" retorted the
growl.
ut may not matter much to me-"
blazed Jean, "but I assure you that
it matters to you. l am returning
your ring now"
Deep laughter overfowed the re-
ceiver. Jean held it away from her
ear In disgust. Her blue eyes were
wide with bewilderment and every
nerve tingled. Suddenly she hung up
the receiver, and the tiny click seemed
to be the lock on the closed door Of
happiness.
"The-b-b-big b-o-o-or!' she sobbed
recklessly.
Fifteen minutes later Nora tapped
at her door, "Mr. Written at the
telephone Miss JEAN"
Jean flung on hat and opened the
door. THANK you, Nora; please tell
Mr.. Written that l have just gone to
the post office to mail package to
him!"
"Yes, Miss Jean, and begging your
pardon, ma am, your hat is on wrong
side before"
Jean adjusted her hat. tied spot
ted veil across her telltale eyes, and
certain registered parcel that con-
tanned one blazing solitaire diamond
ring and sapphire bracelet Ga birth
day gift). Il hate the ring" con-
fessed Jean morosely, "but I wish
could keep the bracelet; birthday
gift is another kind of a keepsake.
Pooh, don't want any of his things.
will send his letters back as soon
as 1 can collect them
OF course Jean knew where every
one Of BOb's love letters were hid
den; she also knew by heart every
word in every letter, and could close
her eyes and visualize the position
of certain words and phrases on the
earliest letters. She mailed the pack
age that morning and during the eve
ming Bob called.
She says she's not at home, SIR"
said Nora with just the proper de-
gree of respect for tragic moment.
Bob looked miserable. Look here,
Nora," he said desperately, what is
Miss Jean doing? Is she entertain
ing-or what? I must see her if !
can"
Nora advanced a step and spoke
in whisper. "She's been nowhere
much today, and she crying, sir, fit
to break her heart" She winked
back tear in her own sympathetic
eye.
!, "Thank you. :. perhaps she
will answer the telephone" He made
his way out of the house and went
to his club and shot into a telephone
booth.
Upstairs in her own room, Jean
heard the front door close DULY, and
applied a fresh handkerchief to her
redeemed eyes. Presently Nora
tapped at the door "The telephone,
Miss Jean," she said hurriedly.
"This is Jean Ross" said Jean, pick
ing up the receiver.
"Ah, Jean. What do you mean
dearest, by sending that ring back
to me-and the bracelet?" Bob want
ed to know in his dear voice.
eff you will think hard, am sure
you will recall our telephone CONVEX
sation this morning." returned Jean
in icy tones.
did we have one?' inquired Mr..
Written dryly.
4 Didn't WEI" she retorted.
Bob's voice took on a heavy judi
cial tone. II rang you up this morn
ing and asked you to go to the the
alter tonight, and never received any
response from you. found later that
we had been cut off, so waited awhile
and rang you again, and Nora said
you had gone to the post Office, and
then in the mail tonight found that
that junk!"
Junk" breathed Jean furiously.
''Do you mean to deny holding con-
versation with me this morning at ten
o'clock?''
''It didn't happen" affirmed Bob.
"Why, Robert Whitten"
s'It's the TRUTH stoutly.
Jean tottered, clinging desperately to
the instrument. ''Then," she quav-
cred, "then w-who-oo was it called
me an id-idiot?''
s'Not /! I wish I could get hold
of the fellow-rd lick him good and
plenty"
81 s-said I w-was returning your
r-ring, and he laughed horribly"
"The deuce he did! Some cheer
full idiot taking advantage of crossed
wires. There I was waiting for re-
Spouse from you"
Long silence from Jean, and then
Bob demanded roughly, tenderly,
sHave Won been CRYING. darlingY'