Speaker 1: Chapter ten of Wired Love by el achieve a Fare.
Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The broken
Speaker 1: circuit reunited, mister Stanward sat down at the table where
Speaker 1: Natty was looking over Sinn's album, and seemed to have
Speaker 1: become very thoughtful. Sin meanwhile busied herself in dressing an
Speaker 1: ugly gash the ever unfortunate Quimby had managed to inflict
Speaker 1: on his hand. Suddenly, Natty was disturbed by mister Stanward
Speaker 1: drumming with a pencil on the marble top of the table,
Speaker 1: and glancing up casually observed his eyes fixed upon her
Speaker 1: with a peculiar expression, and at the same moment her
Speaker 1: ear seemed to catch a familiar sound. With a slight start,
Speaker 1: she listened more attentively to his seemingly idle drumming. Yes,
Speaker 1: whether knowingly or by accident, he certainly was making dots
Speaker 1: and dashes, and what is more, was making ends. I
Speaker 1: will soon ascertain if he means it or not, thought Natty,
Speaker 1: and seizing a pair of scissors, the only adaptable instrument handy,
Speaker 1: she drummed out slowly an account of the imperfectness of
Speaker 1: her impromptu key, pretending all the while to be entirely
Speaker 1: absorbed in the album. Are you an operator? Mister Stanward,
Speaker 1: in his turn, seemingly deeply engaged in the contents of
Speaker 1: a book, immediately drummed in response. Yes. Natty felt the
Speaker 1: color come into her face. Oh dear, she thought, and
Speaker 1: Sinn told him that ridiculous story. Every operator in town
Speaker 1: all note now. Then with the scissors, she asked, why
Speaker 1: didn't you say so? Where is your office? I have
Speaker 1: done now, the pencil answered, while sin, glancing across the room,
Speaker 1: wondered to see the two so studious and unsuspiciously asked
Speaker 1: Quimby if he supposed they were practicing for a drum corps.
Speaker 1: After a few meaningless dots, the pencil went on. Her
Speaker 1: Little girl at b M was dreadfully sold. One day,
Speaker 1: the album Natty held fell from her hands as she
Speaker 1: stared petrified at her vis a VI, who kept his
Speaker 1: eyes on his book with the most innocent expression imaginable,
Speaker 1: one that even a Chinaman could not have equalled. Where
Speaker 1: could he have heard those words once so familiar? A
Speaker 1: moment's thought gave her the most probable key. You are
Speaker 1: in the main office of this city and have heard
Speaker 1: me talking with c. She wrote, as fast as the
Speaker 1: scissors would let her. No to the first of your surmise,
Speaker 1: came the pencil, and yes to the last. What office
Speaker 1: were you in? The scissors, asked x N, responded the pencil.
Speaker 1: What with c asked the scissors. And if ever there
Speaker 1: was a pair of excited scissors, these were the ones. Well, yes,
Speaker 1: replied the pencil, with provoking slowness. Don't you see the point?
Speaker 1: Can't you see that you did not see the sea
Speaker 1: you thought you did see that day? Natty's breath came
Speaker 1: fast and her hand trembled as she could not hold
Speaker 1: the scissors. With a crash, they dropped on the table,
Speaker 1: making one loud, long dash, But the imperturbable pencil went
Speaker 1: on calmly. It was all a mistake, I am see.
Speaker 1: Disdaining scissors and pencil, Natty started up, exclaiming vehemently, what
Speaker 1: do you mean It can't be possible. The consternation of
Speaker 1: sin who was just informing Quimby as his wound would
Speaker 1: do very well now, the horror of the patient, and
Speaker 1: the surprise of Joe Norton at this emphatic and unaccountable
Speaker 1: outburst from the hitherto so silent Natty was indescribable. Good gracious,
Speaker 1: nat What in the world is the matter? Cried Sinn,
Speaker 1: starting up and bringing the bottle of liniment she held
Speaker 1: in violent contact with Quimby's head, a circumstance that even
Speaker 1: the victim did not notice, so absorbed was he in amazement.
Speaker 1: Pet Natty's actually mister Stanward threw aside his book, pencil
Speaker 1: and innocent countenance together and regardless of any one but her,
Speaker 1: sprang to his feet, advanced with both hands extended and
Speaker 1: shining eyes, saying, I mean just what I said, It
Speaker 1: is possible. Hardly knowing what she did. Utterly confused and bewildered,
Speaker 1: Natty placed her hand in the two that clasped it,
Speaker 1: while Sinn stared with distended eyes, Quimby with wide open mouth,
Speaker 1: and Joe gave a long whistle. Sin was first to
Speaker 1: recover and began to scold. Well, She exclaimed, this is
Speaker 1: a pretty piece of business, never yet played on any stage.
Speaker 1: I should think, nat Will you or will somebody have
Speaker 1: the goodness to explain this sudden and extraordinary scene. I
Speaker 1: I don't understand, Natty murmured, faintly and looking half frightened
Speaker 1: and half beseechingly. At mister Stanward, who, in response smiled
Speaker 1: and said, with a firmer clasp of the hand he
Speaker 1: still held, I will explain in a few moments how
Speaker 1: it is possible that I am the will say. What
Speaker 1: screamed Sin? What shouted Joe? What? Absolutely yelled Quimby. There
Speaker 1: has been a mistake, mister Stanwood said, now looking at Sinn. Mistake,
Speaker 1: She repeated excitedly, What do you mean you see our
Speaker 1: sea of the wire? Nonsense? You are joking, Yes, he
Speaker 1: is joking, Quimby reiterated, but his teeth chattered as he spoke.
Speaker 1: He is a dreadful fellow to joke. Clem is clem,
Speaker 1: cried Sin and Natty in the same breath. Do you
Speaker 1: begin to believe me? Said the gentleman who had caused
Speaker 1: all this disturbance, and looking at Natty, who, now becoming
Speaker 1: conscious that her hand was yet in his withdrew it
Speaker 1: hastily with a deep blush. I don't know what to think,
Speaker 1: cried Sinn. Do explain something quick, or I shall burst
Speaker 1: a blood vessel with impatience. Are now I shall? Exclaimed Joe.
Speaker 1: Mister Stanward complied by saying the fact of the case
Speaker 1: is simply this, that red haired young man so graphically
Speaker 1: described by you girls, that odious creature, was the operator
Speaker 1: I went to substitute for that day, Oh, said Natty,
Speaker 1: a light beginning to break upon her. But how commenced
Speaker 1: syn I would tell you how if you will be patient,
Speaker 1: mister Stanward interrupted, smiling his office. As you looking at Natty,
Speaker 1: remember had once been on our wire. He had heard
Speaker 1: n and I talking, and in fact had often annoyed
Speaker 1: us by breaking so as he was at the city,
Speaker 1: he took the opportunity to pass himself off for me,
Speaker 1: perhaps the sake for a joke, perhaps from more malicious motives.
Speaker 1: I recognize this description at once from your story to day,
Speaker 1: and I remember too his telling me on his return
Speaker 1: that he knew the best joke of the season, a
Speaker 1: remark I did not notice the was supposing it concerned me, yes,
Speaker 1: said Natty eagerly. And he was very particular to ask
Speaker 1: me not to mention his call on the wire. I
Speaker 1: do not suppose he imagined that we would eventually discover
Speaker 1: the fraud, however, and so we should had not you,
Speaker 1: looking rather reproachfully at Natty in your haste to drop
Speaker 1: so undesirable an acquaintance avoided the least hint of the
Speaker 1: true cause. Now the dickens was I to know? What
Speaker 1: was the matter? Puzzled my brains. Enough over it, I
Speaker 1: assure you, And that red headed and postor has been
Speaker 1: chuckling in his sleeve ever since, I suppose, said sin indignantly. Then,
Speaker 1: seizing mister Stanward by the arms, she cried, in a
Speaker 1: transport of delight. And it really is true you are
Speaker 1: our sea? What am I not yet believed? He questioned, laughing,
Speaker 1: What more shall I do to convince you of my identity?
Speaker 1: You accected our red headed friend readily enough. Oh I
Speaker 1: believe you, cried Natty eagerly, then stopped and colored abashed
Speaker 1: at her own so plainly shown delight. But mister Stanward
Speaker 1: looked at her with a gratified expression on his brown eyes.
Speaker 1: And you will not snub me any more, will you,
Speaker 1: he said, pleadingly, because I never use bear's grease or musk,
Speaker 1: and my hair isn't red a bit. I will try
Speaker 1: and make amends, Natty answered shyly, adding I ought to
Speaker 1: have known no some mistake. I never could reconcile that creature.
Speaker 1: And and see then I may flatter myself that I
Speaker 1: am an improvement, asked mister Stanward merrily, at which Natty
Speaker 1: murmured something about fishing for compliments, and Sin replied gaily, yes,
Speaker 1: because you have curly hair. You remember what I said
Speaker 1: on the wire via nat Could I forget? He replied gallantly.
Speaker 1: And it isn't a dream. You are a sea, the
Speaker 1: real sea, replied Sin, pinching herself and then seizing Natty, who,
Speaker 1: from the suddenness of it all, was yet in a
Speaker 1: semi bewildered state. I was not a bit of unhappiness
Speaker 1: in it, though, waltzt ecstatically round the room, crying, Oh,
Speaker 1: I am so glad, I am so glad. At this
Speaker 1: point Quimby, who during the preceding explanation had listened with
Speaker 1: a face illustrating every variety of consternation and dismay, attracted
Speaker 1: attention to himself by an audible groan, observing which he
Speaker 1: muttered something about his wound. The word had a double
Speaker 1: meaning for him. Then poor fellow and Rising came forward,
Speaker 1: took his friend by the shoulder and asked, solemnly, now
Speaker 1: clam er, I beg pardon, but is it is this
Speaker 1: all true? And not one of your jokes. You know, honestly,
Speaker 1: are you that that sea here is a doubting Thomas?
Speaker 1: For you, cried claim gaily. But upon my word of honor,
Speaker 1: old boy, I truly and honestly am that sea. And
Speaker 1: I suppose you were the other visitor of no consequence
Speaker 1: who called with miss Archer that day. I was favored
Speaker 1: by an introduction to her. How little I thought it, then,
Speaker 1: how little I thought it, groaned Quimby, as his hand
Speaker 1: fell dejectedly from Clem's shoulder. But I am used to it,
Speaker 1: you know, so, saying he sank into a chair, that
Speaker 1: he had brought about such a result as this, that
Speaker 1: he had resurrected the dreaded sea from the grave of musk,
Speaker 1: and Bear's grease was too much. But now that all
Speaker 1: is explained, I am really not sorry for the mistake,
Speaker 1: Clem said, utterly, unconscious of his friend's state of mind.
Speaker 1: Or had it not been for that, I should never
Speaker 1: have learned as I have to day from you two ladies.
Speaker 1: What a very interesting and agreeable fellow I am. And
Speaker 1: he bowed profoundly, with a twinkle of merriment in his eyes.
Speaker 1: Over the wire. Natty added pointedly. Of course over the wire,
Speaker 1: he said, with another bow. But it shall be my
Speaker 1: endeavor to make good my reputation. Minus the wire, you
Speaker 1: will have to walk very hard to place. Mister Stanward
Speaker 1: ware see was in our good graces, said Sin archly.
Speaker 1: Then suppose we drop the mister Stanwood and take up Clem,
Speaker 1: who already was somewhat advanced, he said, adrightly. Ah, Clem
Speaker 1: sounds more natural, doesn't it, that, questioned Sinn, laughing. We
Speaker 1: knew Clem and see, but mister Stanwood is a stranger.
Speaker 1: Then let us drop him by all means. And now
Speaker 1: say you are glad to see your old friend, said
Speaker 1: Clem gaily. We had transported with delights, beholding out Clem
Speaker 1: so lately given up as lost for ever, Sin replied
Speaker 1: with equal gaiety, and Clem, then looking at Natty as
Speaker 1: if he expected her to say something also, she murmured,
Speaker 1: I am very glad to meet See, a remark that
Speaker 1: sounded cold beside that of enthusiastic Sin, But in fact
Speaker 1: Natty was so confused, so happy, and so strangely timid
Speaker 1: that she longed to get away by herself and think
Speaker 1: it all over and quietly realize it and besire rides
Speaker 1: in her secret heart. Natty felt a growing conviction that
Speaker 1: Sin used the plural pronoun we more than previous circumstances
Speaker 1: actually warranted. But Net, said Sin, all unconscious of her
Speaker 1: friend's jealous criticism, you have not yet told me how
Speaker 1: you found him out. He telegraphed to me with a
Speaker 1: pencil on the table, and coolly informed me that he
Speaker 1: was seeing Natty explained. And then you jumped up and
Speaker 1: throw us uninitiated ones into a great state of alarm,
Speaker 1: said Sin. And instead of practicing for a drum cause
Speaker 1: I supposed you were talking secretly, you sly creatures. Then
Speaker 1: turned to Clym, She asked, laughing, what did you think
Speaker 1: when Net dropped you so suddenly and completely? What could
Speaker 1: I think except that it was a caprice of hers?
Speaker 1: He answered, laughing. At first I thought you was vexed
Speaker 1: at my having gone to b A, but she denied that,
Speaker 1: and finally I believe I became angry myself and concluded
Speaker 1: to let her have her own way. Nevertheless, I could
Speaker 1: not resist calling to see her when I came to
Speaker 1: the city, and had I met with any encouragement, I
Speaker 1: should probably have declared myself but I was annihilated without ceremony.
Speaker 1: You would not have been perhaps had you been honest
Speaker 1: in the first place instead of asking unnecessary questions about tariffs,
Speaker 1: replied Natty. Yes, but you were to recognize me by intuition.
Speaker 1: You know I wanted to give you a chance, responded
Speaker 1: Clem quickly. Natty looked a trifle abashed. But I am
Speaker 1: quite sure I should have suspected it was you, had
Speaker 1: I not given you up as hopelessly red headed. She persisted.
Speaker 1: Why Almost the very first question the creature asked me
Speaker 1: was do you see that twinkle? So he heard and
Speaker 1: treasured that remark to some purpose. He said, well, I
Speaker 1: will not dispute your intuition theory, since your last words
Speaker 1: assure me that I do not fall so far short
Speaker 1: of your imaginary sea as did my personator. I imagine
Speaker 1: your expression of countenance on learning the intil diligence was
Speaker 1: hardly flattering to his vanity. Natty, who had colored at
Speaker 1: the first of his remark, replied contemptuously, his self conceit
Speaker 1: was too great to attribute my very uncordial reception to anything, except,
Speaker 1: as he said, my bashfulness. I presume it has afforded
Speaker 1: him great enjoyment to think how successfully he stepped into
Speaker 1: your shoes, and what a joke he had played upon
Speaker 1: me upon us, you mean, corrected Clem, certainly upon us,
Speaker 1: Natty replied, with another flash of color. I remember how
Speaker 1: indifferent he seemed when I hinted that now we had met,
Speaker 1: the chief pleasure of talking on the wire was gone.
Speaker 1: And I believe he didn't actually say in so many
Speaker 1: words that he was see but left me to understand it.
Speaker 1: So and I am indebted to him for being such
Speaker 1: a lonesome, miserable fellow the latter part of my telegraphic career,
Speaker 1: said Clem rather savagely. Natty murmured something about the time
Speaker 1: passing pleasanter when there was summon to talk with, and
Speaker 1: Sinn asked curiously, then you have left the dot and
Speaker 1: dash business, have you? Oh? Yes, it was merely temporary
Speaker 1: with me, Clem replied, then seating himself on the sofa
Speaker 1: beside Natty and drawing up a chair for sin between
Speaker 1: himself and Joe Crimpying at the other end of the room.
Speaker 1: A prey to his emotions, Clem continued, The truth of
Speaker 1: the matter is simply this, my father, with a big
Speaker 1: headedness worthy of Eugene Raeburns m R. F In, our
Speaker 1: mutual friend, determined to make a doctor of me, not
Speaker 1: on account of any qualifications of mine, but for the
Speaker 1: simple reason that a doctor is a good thing to
Speaker 1: have in a family. But I having an intense dislike
Speaker 1: to the smell of drugs, a repugnance to knowing anything
Speaker 1: more than absolutely necessary about the ills that flesh is
Speaker 1: heir to, and decided objections to having the sleep of
Speaker 1: my future life disturbed declined, and at the same time
Speaker 1: expressed a desire to go into the store with him
Speaker 1: and become a merchant, upon which my most immediate ancestor,
Speaker 1: Waxed Wrath, called me, in plain, unvarnished words, a fool
Speaker 1: and a pretty one. I was to set myself up
Speaker 1: against his will, I who couldn't earn my salt without
Speaker 1: him to back me. Being of a contrary opinion myself,
Speaker 1: I determined to test my abilities in the salt line.
Speaker 1: I began looking at Natty merrily by salting you, then
Speaker 1: explaining to Sin Joe and the silent quimby salt tis
Speaker 1: the term operator's use when one tries to send faster
Speaker 1: than the other can receive. I began my acquaintance with
Speaker 1: n by trying to sault her to go on with
Speaker 1: my narrative. I had learned to telegraph at college, where
Speaker 1: the boys had private wires from whom to wom, and
Speaker 1: being acquainted with all of the managers in our city,
Speaker 1: succeeded in obtaining that very undesirable office down there at
Speaker 1: x M, where I remained until my stern parent relented,
Speaker 1: concluded to hire a doctor instead of making one, and
Speaker 1: offered me the control of a branch of the firm
Speaker 1: here in your city. And here I am, And if
Speaker 1: isn't it strange, you shall stumbled upon us feast and
Speaker 1: all said sin laughing. Natty was again disturbed by the
Speaker 1: plural pronoun, and also angry at herself for observing it
Speaker 1: isn't it Clem answered merrily, what a lucky fellow I am,
Speaker 1: you see, Not being at all acquainted in the city,
Speaker 1: I hunted up my old college friend Quimby, who asked
Speaker 1: me to call on some lady friends of his, mentioning
Speaker 1: no names, which of course I was only too glad
Speaker 1: to do. Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered
Speaker 1: who those friends were. But I don't know, as I
Speaker 1: should have dared to reveal myself, having been so often
Speaker 1: stopped with a roguish glance at Natty. If that story
Speaker 1: had been told and the mystery sold. Imagine my dismay, though,
Speaker 1: at being called an odious creature, and the surprise with
Speaker 1: which I listened to my own description. So earnest were
Speaker 1: you that I actually, for a moment thought my hair
Speaker 1: must have turned red. And he ran his fingers through
Speaker 1: his curly locks with a rueful face. The girls laughed,
Speaker 1: and Sin exclaimed, well, Pace, it is you taught that
Speaker 1: picture that yes, a Quiercedtatty, adding an explanation to Clem,
Speaker 1: You remember that pen and ink sketch. My first act
Speaker 1: of vengeance was to destroy it. Never mind, Joe will
Speaker 1: do another, will you not, asked Clem, turning to that gentleman, who,
Speaker 1: upon being thus appealed to arose, laid down a nutcracker
Speaker 1: he held and said, with the utmost solemnity, Joe is
Speaker 1: ready to draw anything. But Joe is aghast and orrified
Speaker 1: at being mixed, even in the slightest degree, with anything
Speaker 1: so near approaching the romantic as the affair in question.
Speaker 1: What is use of a fellow shaven off his air.
Speaker 1: I'd like to know if such things as these will happen.
Speaker 1: It's no use fighting against nature, laughed Sin. The romance
Speaker 1: always has been, since the world was, and always will be.
Speaker 1: I s appeals. Your turn will come, Joe. I have
Speaker 1: no doubt we shall see you, a long haireddavlous sentimental
Speaker 1: artist yet never cried Joe heroically. But you must confess
Speaker 1: this affair of taking une du advantage of a fellow
Speaker 1: a wire romance is something entirely unexpected, and besides, viewed telegraphically,
Speaker 1: there is nothing at all romantic in the whole affair,
Speaker 1: said Natty, who, between her confusion at the turn the
Speaker 1: conversation had taken and her alarm lest something should be
Speaker 1: said about that chubby cupid whom it will be remembered
Speaker 1: she had suppressed in her former description to see, was
Speaker 1: decidedly embarrassed. Before Joe could express his satisfaction at this statement,
Speaker 1: Clem exclaimed, reproachfully, Oh, do not say that, not even
Speaker 1: to spare our friend's feelings. Can I deny the romance
Speaker 1: of our acquaintance? I quite agree with you, said Syn,
Speaker 1: I really believe NAT's going over to Jew's ideas. Never mind,
Speaker 1: must wait until your turn comes. You unsentimental Joe, madam cried, Joe,
Speaker 1: when I find myself in a condition you describe, I
Speaker 1: will come and place a disposal myself in your hands.
Speaker 1: And he made her a profound bow. There is many
Speaker 1: a true word spoken in jest, and none of the
Speaker 1: little party there assembled imagined how true indeed these words
Speaker 1: were to prove, as Sin gaily answered, it is a bargain, Joe,
Speaker 1: and I shall have no mercy on your I can
Speaker 1: assure you. And we must not forget that we aredebted
Speaker 1: to Quimby for the unraveling of all this mystery, said Natty.
Speaker 1: She smiled at him, where he sat in his dismayed
Speaker 1: isolation as she spoke, And although it was the warmest
Speaker 1: smile she had ever yet bestowed upon him, he was
Speaker 1: rendered no happier by its warmth. Yes, how fortunate it
Speaker 1: was claim that you looked him up, said Sin. Natty
Speaker 1: wondered that she could pronounce the familiar name so easily.
Speaker 1: It was quite sure she herself could not, was it not,
Speaker 1: exclaimed clem delightedly? And what is better than all? I
Speaker 1: am coming here to room with him at this Joe
Speaker 1: shook him cordially by the hand. Sin and Natty gave
Speaker 1: exclamations of pleasure, and Quimby suddenly started into life. I
Speaker 1: beg pardon, he said, hastily, But I I really I
Speaker 1: thought you said you had rather be fa the down town.
Speaker 1: You know, yes, that was my first inclination. But as
Speaker 1: you urged me so much, and as I find so
Speaker 1: many old friends here, I have concluded to accept your offer,
Speaker 1: my boy, to consider the matter settled, replied Clem, And
Speaker 1: in his own entire satisfaction and unconsciousness, Clem did not observe.
Speaker 1: But what Quimby looked as happy as might be expected
Speaker 1: at this intelligence. Well won't we have a jolly time?
Speaker 1: Sang Sin and Clem. Natty and Joe, but not Quimby,
Speaker 1: took up the chorus, and obtuse as he was, Quimby
Speaker 1: could not but observe that Natty's eyes were shining in
Speaker 1: a way he had never seen them shine before, that
Speaker 1: the ever coming and going flush on her cheeks was
Speaker 1: very becoming, and there was an expression in her face
Speaker 1: when she looked at Clem that face had never held
Speaker 1: for him. Nor could he fail to think that the
Speaker 1: romantic commencement of the acquaintance of these two. Even the
Speaker 1: episode of the musque centered impostor all now enhanced the
Speaker 1: interest Natty had once felt for the Invisible Sea. Neither
Speaker 1: did he need a prophet to tell him that the
Speaker 1: two girls would sit up half the night talking confidentially
Speaker 1: over this unexpected and happy denu more, even that Natty's
Speaker 1: sleep would not be quite as sound as usual. Love,
Speaker 1: it is said it's blind, so to some things perhaps
Speaker 1: it is, but never to arrival. And when at last
Speaker 1: Clem tore himself away with a remark, what a fortunate
Speaker 1: day this has been. Whenby my dear boy, how can
Speaker 1: I thank you? I shall take possession of my half
Speaker 1: of your apartment at once, to be sure no one
Speaker 1: shall again usurp my place until then, au revoir, and
Speaker 1: in parting perceptibly held Natty's hand longer than was absent
Speaker 1: absolutely necessary. Quimby followed him with dejected mien, fully aware
Speaker 1: that of all the mistakes he had ever made, he
Speaker 1: committed the worst when he asked his old chum to
Speaker 1: call on some lady friends of his end of Chapter ten,