
“I did tell her that, Mr. Lowe.”

“Very well--ask him to leave his number. I can not be disturbed now.”

He hung up the receiver. “Doctor Wilde,” he said in the same Solemn
tone. “I realize of course that you are asking for my resignation. But
first I must know the charge against me. There has been an attack on my
character. I have the right to demand full knowledge of it.”

“To mention only one occasion,” said the doctor, as if unaware of the
interruption, still fussing with the mission house, “you were seen, as
recently as last evening, leaving a questionable restaurant in company
with a still more questionable young woman.”

So that was all he knew! Hy breathed a very little more easily. Then
the telephone rang again, and Hy's overstrained nerves jumped like mad.
“Very well,” said he to the pretty telephone girl, “put him on my wire.”
 And to his chief: “You will have to excuse me, Doctor. This appears to
be important.” He rose with extreme dignity and left the room.

Once within his own office he stood clinging to the door-knob, breathing
hard. It was all over! He was fired. He must begin life again--like
General Grant. His own telephone bell was ringing frantically. At first
he hardly heard it. Finally he pulled himself together and moved toward
the desk. It would be Betty, of course. She ought to have more sense!
Why hadn't she stayed up-state with that new husband of hers, anyway!
Wasn't life disastrous enough without a very much entangled, contrite
Betty on his own still more entangled hands.

But the voice was not that of Betty. Nor was it the voice of Silvia.
It was a soft little voice, melodious, hesitating. It was familiar, yet
unfamiliar.

“Oh,” it said, “is that you? I've had such a hard time getting you.”

“I'm sorry!” breathed Hy. Who was she?

“Are you awfully busy?”

Hy hesitated. Deep amid the heaped and smoking runs of his life a little
warm thing was stirring. It was the very instinct for adventure. He
looked grimly about the room, to be hi