to
get along without holding any conversation with him until the latter
part of the afternoon, when, the wire not being in use, and business
slacking up, he called persistently, savagely, and entreatingly--all of
which phases can be expressed in dots and dashes--interspersing the call
with such expressions as,

"Please answer, N! Where are you, N? Why will you treat thus a poor
fellow who thinks so much of you?"

"I should think he might take a hint! Must I tell him in plain words
that a personal inspection leads me to decline the honor of farther
acquaintance? when, too, he particularly requested me not to mention his
visit, over the wire?" thought Nattie; and then, as he continued to
call, she arose impatiently, and answered shortly,

"B m!"

"You naughty little girl!" immediately responded "C," "where have you
been all day? Is it thus you treat me on my return, when I expected you
would be glad to see me again?"

"I have been busy," Nattie replied briefly, with a repetition of her
platitude, and cringing at the same time over the first of his remark,
as she recalled his _tout ensemble_.

"So you have said every time I have called," "C" answered, apparently
entirely unconscious of the possible reason. "What is the cause? You
never used to be busy _always_, you know!"

"How different he is on the wire from what he is in reality!" thought
Nattie, with a return of her first disappointment, "and how hard it is
to merge the two in one!" But she answered,

"There is a first time for everything; besides, I have not felt like
talking to-day."

"Not with me?" queried "C."

"No!" replied Nattie briefly, and to the point.

"C" held his key open a moment.

"I do not understand it," he said at last. "It isn't possible that I
have done anything to offend you?"

"Only offended me with the sight of you!" thought Nattie; but unwilling
to be really impolite, replied, "Certainly not!"

"You are not angry about yesterday, are you?" pursued "C."

"Certainly not," repeated Nattie, adding to herself, "A faint idea that
I did not exactly fall in love with you is creeping into your red head,
is it?"

"If I have done anything, I beg you to tell me what, for I am ignorant
of it, and I assure you I am penitent, and that I forgive you!"
continued "C," "only please don't be cross to me!"

Nattie saw her opportunity for picking a quarrel, and seized it.

"I do not know what you mean by my being cross!" she said. "I am sure I