Wired Love Part 20

"But I am quite sure I should have suspected it was you, had I not given you up as hopelessly red-headed," she persisted; "why, almost the very first question the creature asked was, 'do you see that twinkle?'"

"So he heard and treasured that remark to some purpose," he said; "well, I will not dispute your intuition theory, since your last words a.s.sure me that I do not fall so far short of your imaginary 'C,' as did my personator. I imagine your expression of countenance, on learning the intelligence, was hardly flattering to his vanity."

Nattie, who had colored at the first of his remark, replied contemptuously,

"His self-conceit was too great to attribute my very uncordial reception to anything except, as he said, 'my bashfulness.' I presume it has afforded him great enjoyment to think how successfully he stepped into your shoes, and what a joke he had played upon me."

"Upon _us_, you mean," corrected Clem.

"Certainly; upon _us_," Nattie replied, with another flush of color. "I remember how indifferent he seemed when I hinted that now we had met the chief pleasure of talking on the wire was gone. And I believe he didn't actually say in so many words that he was 'C,' but left me to understand it so."

"And I am indebted to him for being such a lonesome, miserable fellow the latter part of my telegraphic career," said Clem, rather savagely.

Nattie murmured something about the time pa.s.sing pleasanter when there was some one to talk with, and Cyn asked, curiously,

"Then you have left the dot and dash business, have you?"

"Oh, yes. It was merely temporary with me," Clem replied; then seating himself on the sofa beside Nattie, and drawing a chair up for Cyn, between himself and Jo--Quimby being at the other end of the room, a prey to his emotions--Clem continued;

"The truth of the matter is simply this, my father, with a pig-headedness worthy of Eugene Wrayburn's M. R. F. in 'Our Mutual Friend,' determined to make a doctor of me, not on account of any qualifications of mine, but for the simple reason that a doctor is a good thing to have in a family. But I, having an intense dislike to the smell of drugs, a repugnance to knowing anything more than absolutely necessary about the 'ills that flesh is heir to,' and decided objections to having the sleep of my future life disturbed, declined, and at the same time expressed a desire to go into the store with him, and become a merchant. Upon which my most immediate ancestor waxed wroth, called me, in plain, unvarnished words, a fool; and a pretty one I was to set myself up against his will! I, who couldn't earn my salt without him to back me! Being of a contrary opinion myself, I determined to test my abilities in the salt line. I began," looking at Nattie, merrily, "by salting you!"--then explaining to Cyn, Jo, and the silent Quimby, "'Salt' is a term operators use, when one tries to send faster than the other can receive. I began my acquaintance with N by trying to 'salt'

her. To go on with my narrative, I had learned to telegraph at college, where the boys had private wires from room to room, and being acquainted with one of the managers in our city, succeeded in obtaining that very undesirable office down there at X n, where I remained until my stern parent relented, concluded to hire a doctor instead of making one, and offered me the control of a branch of the firm here in your city. And here I am!"

"And isn't it strange how you should have stumbled upon us, feast and all?" said Cyn, laughing.

Nattie was again disturbed by the plural p.r.o.noun, and also angry at herself for observing it.

"Isn't it?" Clem answered merrily; "what a lucky fellow I am! You see, not being at all acquainted in the city, I hunted up my old college friend Quimby, who asked me to call on some lady friends of his, mentioning no names, which of course I was only too glad to do! Imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered who those friends were! But I don't know as I should have dared to reveal mvself, having been so often snubbed,"--With a roguish glance at Nattie-- "if that story had not been told and the mystery solved. Imagine my dismay, though, at being called an 'odious creature,' and the surprise with which I listened to my own description! So earnest were you, that I actually, for a moment, thought my hair must have turned red!" and he ran his fingers through his curly locks with a rueful face.

The girls laughed, and Cyn exclaimed,

"What a pity it is you tore up that picture, Nat!"

"Yes," acquiesced Nattie, adding, in explanation, to Clem-- "You remember that pen and ink sketch? My first act of vengeance was to destroy it!"

"Never mind, Jo will do another, will you not?" asked Clem, turning to that gentleman, who, upon being thus appealed to, arose, laid down the nutcracker he held, and said with the utmost solemnity,

"Jo is ready to draw anything. _But_ Jo is aghast and horrified at being mixed even in the slightest degree with anything so near approaching the romantic, as the affair in question. What is the use of a fellow shaving off his hair, I would like to know, if such things as these will happen?"

"It is no use fighting against Nature!" laughed Cyn. "Romance always has been since the world was, and always will be, I suppose. Your turn will come, Jo! I have no doubt we shall see you a long haired, cadaverous, sentimental artist yet!"

"Never!" cried Jo heroically. "But you must confess that this affair is taking undue advantage of a fellow. A _wired_ romance is something entirely unexpected!"

"And besides, viewed telegraphically, there is nothing at all romantic in the whole affair!" said Nattie, who, between her confusion at the turn the conversation had taken, and her alarm lest something should be said about that chubby Cupid--whom it will be remembered she had suppressed in her former description to "C "--was decidedly embarra.s.sed.

Before Jo could express his satisfaction at this statement, Clem exclaimed, reproachfully,

"Oh! do not say that! not even to spare our friend's feelings can I deny the romance of our acquaintance."

"I quite agree with you," said Cyn; "I really believe Nat is going over to Jo's ideas. Never mind! just wait until your turn comes, you unsentimental Jo."

"Madam!" cried Jo, "when I find myself in the condition you describe, I will come and place the disposal of myself in your hands!" and he made her a profound bow.

There is many a true word spoken in jest, and none of the little party there a.s.sembled imagined how true, indeed, these words were to prove, as Cyn gayly answered,

"It is a bargain, Jo, and I shall have no mercy on you, I can a.s.sure you."

"And we must not forget that we are indebted to Quimby for the unraveling of all this mystery," said Nattie. She smiled on him where he sat, in his dismayed isolation, as she spoke, and although it was the warmest smile she had ever yet bestowed upon him, he was rendered no happier by its warmth.

"Yes, how fortunate it was, Clem, that you looked him up!" said Cyn.

Nattie wondered that she could p.r.o.nounce the familiar name so easily.

She was quite sure she herself could not.

"Was it not?" exclaimed Clem, delightedly; "and what is better than all, I am coming here to room with him!" At this Jo shook him cordially by the hand, Cyn and Nattie gave exclamations of pleasure, and Quimby suddenly started into life. "I--I beg pardon," he said, hastily, "but I--I really--I though you said you had rather be farther down town, you know."

"Yes, that was my first inclination, but as you urged me so much, and as I find so many old friends here, I have concluded to accept your offer, my boy, so consider the matter settled," replied Clem.

And in his own entire satisfaction and unconsciousness, Clem did not observe but what Quimby looked as happy as might be expected, at this intelligence.

"'Oh, won't we have a jolly time,"' sang Cyn, and Clem, Nattie and Jo--but not Quimby--took up the chorus.

And obtuse as he was, Quimby could not but observe that Nattie's eyes were shining in a way he had never seen them shine before, that the ever-coming and going flush on her cheeks was very becoming, and that there was an expression in her face, when she looked at Clem, that face had never held for _him_. Nor could he fail to think, that the romantic commencement of the acquaintance of these two, even the episode of the musk-scented impostor all now enhanced the interest Nattie had once felt for the invisible "C" neither did he need a prophet to tell him that the two girls would sit up half the night, talking confidentially over this unexpected and happy _denouement_, or even that Nattie's sleep would not be quite as sound as usual.

Love, it is said, is blind. So, to some things, perhaps, it is, but never to a rival.

And when at last Clem tore himself away, with the remark,

"What a fortunate day this has been! Quimby, my dear boy, how can I thank you? I shall take possession of my half of your apartment at once, to be sure no one shall again usurp my place; until then, _au revoir_!"

and, in parting, perceptibly held Nattie's hand longer than was absolutely necessary, Quimby followed him with dejected mien, fully aware that of all the mistakes he had ever made he committed the worst, when he asked his old chum to call on some lady friends of his!

CHAPTER XI.

MISS KLING TELEGRAPHICALLY BAFFLED.

Miss Betsey Kling was quite uneasy in her mind about this time, not only because the Torpedo refused to see himself in the light of that other self, and fled whenever he saw her approaching, but also because some subtle instinct told her, that under her very nose, was going on something of which the details were unknown to her, and that listen as she would, could not be ascertained. This good-looking young man, who had so suddenly appeared on Mrs. Simonson's premises who and what was he? From Mrs. Simonson she learned that he was an old friend of Quimby's; that she believed he was also an old friend of Miss Archer's, or Miss Rogers', or of both, and that his father was very wealthy,

"Humph!" said Miss Kling, with a suspicious sniffle. "Strange that he should room with Quimby if his father is so wealthy? Why does he not have a room of his own?"

"He and Quimby are such friends, you see!" Mrs. Simonson explained.

Miss Kling gave another sniffle, this time of contempt, at such a reason being possible.

"Miss Rogers is in here about all her time when she isn't at the office, is she not?" was the next question.