Hyder weekly herald., 1932-09-24
Crossed Wires
 By JOHN SAUNDERS
(G by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
 (WNU Seryice)

A the gates which gave entrance to the grounds surrounding her fathers country house and waved her hand at Tom Collingwood as he went by in his flivver. Lillian was dressed as became the daughter of q 'magnate." She smiled bewitching, careless smile at Tom as she waved her little hand in his direction; one would have thought her the most carefree young beauty in all the world. But her whole eXpres- sion changed when the fliyver had passed. A perpleXed look wrinkled her brow and her eyes took on a pen sive gaze
 The young man to whom she had waved had answered her greeting with a polite, but formal, bow and had looked at her in manner which was neither one of reproach nor of indif- ference, but a compound of the two. And withal there had been something like defiance in his look and manner as if he said: No, thank you; once bitten twice shy. All your pretty ways cannot lure me back again. am quite satisfied to have learned my les son." And Lillian felt it; felt it as distinctly as if she had heard him say it in so many words.
 For there was no denying that Lil- Han had given every encouragement to Tom-and had then thrown him over. Yes, Lillian had done all this and now she was sorry for it. She tried to tell herself that there was no use crying over split milk; but even that venerable saying did not seem to fill the bill. What she wanted out of the past was not wise proverb but Tom.
 It was not because her parents had objected to her marrying Tom that Lillian had rejected him. He was not wealthy, to be sure, but he came of good family, was an exemplary and rising young man holding down a responsible job. Mir. and Mrs. Jaf- freys desired only that their daugh- ter should be happy in her marriage and considered that Tom was the very one to make her happy. But when they found that Lillian had rejected
 
 knew best, and let it go at that
 If there had been little opposition to the marrying, had their love making not run along in such quiet lines. so much of taking everything for grant ed, it is likely that Lillian would have uttered a yes as emphatic as her no when Tom asked her to be his wife.
 And so it had been with Lillian as regarded Tom. But now that he was decidedly around the corner" as far as she was concerned, she found that she wanted him back more than any thing in all this world.
 When she first realized this she had thought: "Oh, well; he is in love with me and all I have got to do Is just show him really did not mean 1t when I said No" I can whistle him back all right" But now she was be- ginning to realize that Tom could not be whistled back as easily as she had thought.
 That day when she had strolled out of her fathers gates to see Tom pass, and had seen her sweetest smile an swered by him in that unresponsive manner. Lillian, after a fit of deep despondency. resolved upon drastic measures. She would write a letter to Tom in which she would acknowl- edge her mistake, tell him how much she really loved him, beg his pardon for her Mighty conduct and offer him yes if he would take if. Of course, if it were true that he had ceased to love her, this would place her in a most humiliating position and expose her to a rebuff which would break her heart. But she didn't care: she could not stand things going on in this way any longer. So she went home. wrote a letter upon lines indicated. and sent it to the post office.
 Tom would not get 1t until the next morning, she thought-she knew he seldom went to the post office in the little neighboring village for the eve ming mail. And she passed a most miserable night. Then the thought occurred to her that perhaps Tom would go for his evening mail and get her letter, would answer it one way or the other right off, and she would get the answer in the morning.
 Right after breakfast next morning she was in her little roadster motor ing down to the village post office As she entered the door she and Tom almost collided.
 "Did-did you get any letter." she faitered with a blush.