cato "Hello."

I replied, "Hello, that you, Edith?"

"Yes. Who is this?" she called.

"Ruth," I answered feebly.

"Ruth! Where in the world are you?" she answered.

"Oh, I'm all right. I'm down here at the station. Just arrived. I'm
perfectly all right," I assured her.

"Well, well," she exclaimed. "That's fine. Awfully glad you're back! I
do wish I could send the limousine down for you, Ruth. But I just can't.
We're going out to dinner--to the Mortimers, and we've just _got_ to
have it. I'm awfully sorry, but do you mind taking the car, or a
carriage? I'm right in the midst of dressing. I've got to hurry like
mad. It's almost half-past six now. Jump into a taxi, and we can have a
nice little chat before I have to go. Got lots to tell you. It's fine
you're back. Good-by. Don't mind if I hurry now, do you?"

I arrived at the house ten minutes later in a hired taxicab. I rang the
bell, and after a long wait a maid I had never seen before let me in.
Edith resplendent in a brand new bright green satin gown was just coming
down the stairs. She had on all her diamonds.

"Hello, Toots," she said. "Did you get homesick, dearie? Welcome. Wish I
could kiss you, Honey, but I can't. I've just finished my lips. Why
didn't you telegraph, Rascal? It's a shame not to have you met."

"I did," I began.

"Oh, well, our telephone has been out of order all day. It makes me
tired the way they persist in telephoning telegrams. We do get the
worst service! I had no idea you were coming. Why, I sent off a
perfect bunch of mail to you this very morning. You weren't peeved,
were you, Toots, about my telegram, I mean? I was right in the midst
of the most important house-party I've ever had. As it was I had too
many girls, and at the last minute had to telegraph Malcolm to come
and help me out. And he did, the lamb! The house-party was a
screaming success. I'm going to have a regular series of them all
summer. How do you like my gown? Eighty-five, my dear, marked down
from a hundred and fifty."

"Stunning," I replied, mingled emotions in my heart.

"There!" exclaimed Edith abruptly. "There's your telegram now. Did you
ever? Getting here at this hour!"

A telegraph boy was coming up the steps. I was fortunately near the
door, and I opened it before he rang, received my needless message
myself, and tore open the envelope.

"You're right," I said. "It is my telegram. It just said I was coming.
That's all. It didn't matter much. Guess