“WIRES” By VERA FRONK years. Hello, La May.” ‘Hello, Denver.” Caavo “0:05? O. K.” echoed a clear young voice from a telephone at La May. This same conversation had been repeated every day for three and one-half One day after the usual conversation, Bob ventured, “Say, what’s your name?” Directly over the wire came the answer, “Bob.” ¥ “Jean, what’s yours?” old suitcase for a long-wanted vacation. With a light heart was not he boarded the train for La May. Bob was eager to get there, so the trip was rather slow. First he would try to read a magazine, then talk to a fellow passenger. But his mind eae SY hls na boya Seah re ge * ideas See ee haa ean ee eS genie ER e 0 GN ra yy Fy J 2 ntan ga ee Ree eR a, ra ap Tce ste oeoe BEPane oN TN a Rhea eee! Poe ete a SR IMT a r Re e eee, ek Re e een Ce ona, PE See a ae re ¥ nere Te <a ie:8 se sass oni Sle Sorte saat) abe Sate nab ase ek siseiatamnkhe : ae arts Ss Met a ao ie he held in his hand, He seemed restless, on the conversation a large, rather heavy-set woman thought was Jean’s. with the new- F inally the train pulled into the La May station. Hurriedly he walked to the telephone office. prise he found His hopes were all in vain. On arriving there, to his sur- in the private office which night air together. On and on they walked with no special destination in mind. a4 corner of a lone park, they paused. you about the second week in July?” F inally reaching F acing each other, Bob said, “Where were “The second week?” “Who “Who was that horrible shrimp I saw in Denver was that horrible woman?” that same second week?” Se linia i : ARRAN MONTE Sewre. AEE. SRR a. oS aoe oie - tens ao a he Two weeks later he returned, down-hearted, to his work in Denver, without one glimpse of Jean. Weeks and months slipped by with the daily conver sation resumed. January was here at last with its bleak, cold, snowy days. A blizzard was raging, wires were down, and snow was piling in heaps everywhere. Bob, who was in demand because of his knowledge of the telephone, was called to attend to them. On one of the cold days that followed, Bob and his men, who were very cold and tired of canned food, decided to go to La May, about one mile away, to get something warm. The men went, regardless of looks. While they were eating a clear voice was heard. Bob listened. He heard it again. Yes, he was wight, It was hers. He could tell it among a hundred. When he looked he could see no one. The same voice was heard again. Hurriedly he got up and went over. “Jean” was all he could say. She needed no word of introduction. Bob, in dirty overalls with his hair tousled, stood looking down into gay, laughing blue eyes. The voice he had heard daily matched the smile of Jean. “Won’t you sit down?” she said at length. He sat down and she went on, “I-I never thought ’d meet you here.” “I never dreamed of meeting you either, or I’d a-a cleaned up, he managed. “Oh, you’re all right,” she said. They talked on of different things until the meal was finished. | They arose and donned coats and hats. Bob paid the waiter and they both faced the cold, snowy E - ‘ A pl bad not on the book found friend. ee ee ate eter Resear 5 a Spring had come and gone with its usual rains, winds, and flowers. Summer had set in at last. It was a time for camping, fishin g trips, and a good vacation for all. It was the eleventh day of July, the second week, when Bob was packing the @ e ee mW AG, © a--at ©10 ak 010 Molo nee O_O ee YS oo Ow oO oo~tuooO— re!