CHAPTER X.
THE BROKEN CIRCUIT RE-UNITED.
Mr. Stanwood sat down at the table where Nattie was looking over Cyn'salbum, and seemed to have become very thoughtful; Cyn meanwhile busiedherself in dressing an ugly gash the ever-unfortunate Quimby had managedto inflict on his hand.
Suddenly Nattie was disturbed by Mr. Stanwood drumming with a pencil onthe marble top of the table, and glancing up casually, observed his eyesfixed upon her with a peculiar expression, and at the same moment herear seemed to catch a familiar sound. With a slight start she listenedmore attentively to his seemingly idle drumming. Yes--whether knowingly,or by accident, he certainly was making dots and dashes, and what ismore, was making N's!
"I will soon ascertain if he means it or not!" thought Nattie, andseizing a pair of scissors, the only adaptable instrument handy, shedrummed out, slowly, on account of the imperfectness of her impromptukey--pretending all the while to be entirely absorbed in the album,
"Are you an operator?"
Mr. Stanwood, in his turn, seemingly deeply engaged in the contents of abook, immediately drummed in response,
"Yes."
Nattie felt the color come into her face.
"Oh, dear!" she thought, "and Cyn told him that ridiculous story! Everyoperator in town will know it now." Then with the scissors she asked,
"Why didn't you say so? Where is your office?"
"I have none now," the pencil answered, while Cyn, glancing across theroom, wondered to see the two so studious, and unsuspiciously askedQuimby if he supposed they were practicing for a drum corps? After a fewmeaningless dots, the pencil went on,
"A little girl at B m was dreadfully sold one day!"
The album Nattie held fell from her hands as she stared petrified at her_vis-a-vis_, who kept his eyes on his book with the most innocentexpression imaginable, one that even a Chinaman could not have equaled.Where could he have heard those words, once so familiar? A moment'sthought gave her the most probable key.
"You are in the main office of this city, and have heard me talking with'C'!" she wrote, as fast as the scissors would let her.
"No, to the first of your surmise," came from the pencil, "and yes tothe last."
"What office were you in?" the scissors asked.
"X n," responded the pencil.
"What! with 'C'?" asked the scissors, and if ever there was a pair ofexcited scissors, these were the ones.
"Well--yes," replied the pencil with provoking slowness. "Don't you'_C_' the point? Can't you 'C' that you did not 'C' the 'C' you thoughtyou did 'C' that day?"
Nattie's breath came fast, and her hand trembled so she could not holdthe scissors. With a crash they dropped on the table, making one loud,long dash. But the imperturbable pencil went on calmly,
"It was all a mistake. I am--'C'!"
Disdaining scissors and pencil, Nattie started up, exclaimingvehemently,
"What do you mean? it can't be possible!"
The consternation of Cyn, who was just informing Quimby that his woundwould do very well now, the horror of the patient, and the surprise ofJo Norton at this emphatic and unaccountable outburst from the hithertoso silent Nattie was indescribable.
"Good gracious, Nat! what in the world is the matter?" cried Cyn,starting up and bringing the bottle of liniment she held in violentcontact with Quimby's head, a circumstance that even the victim did notnotice, so absorbed was he in amazement.
At Nattie's exclamation, Mr. Stanwood threw aside his book, pencil, andinnocent countenance together, and regardless of any one but her, sprangto his feet, advanced with both hands extended, and shining eyes,saying,
"I mean just what I said, it is possible!"
Hardly knowing what she did, utterly confused and bewildered, Nattieplaced her hand in the two that clasped it, while Cyn stared withdistended eyes, Quimby with wide-open mouth, and Jo gave a long whistle.Cyn was first to recover, and began to scold.
"Well," she exclaimed, "this _is_ a pretty piece of business, never yetplayed on any stage, I should think! Nat, will you, or will somebodyhave the goodness to explain this sudden and extraordinary scene?"
"I--I don't understand!" Nattie murmured faintly, and lookinghalf-frightened, and half-beseechingly at Mr. Stanwood, who in responsesmiled and said, with a firmer clasp of the hand he still held,
"I will explain in a very few moments how it is possible that I am thereal 'C'!"
"What!" screamed Cyn.
"What!" shouted Jo.
"What!!" absolutely yelled Quimby.
"There has been a mistake!" Mr. Stanwood said, now looking at Cyn.
"A mistake!" she repeated excitedly, "what _do_ you mean? YOU 'C,' our'C,' of the wire? Nonsense! You are joking!"
"Yes, he is joking!" Quimby reiterated, but his teeth chattered as hespoke. "He is a dreadful fellow to joke, Clem is!"
"Clem!" cried Cyn and Nattie, in the same breath.
"Do you begin to believe me?" said the gentleman who had caused all thisdisturbance, and looking at Nattic, who now, becoming conscious that herhand was yet in his, withdrew it hastily, with a deep blush.
"I don't know what to think!" cried Cyn.
"Do explain something, quick, or I shall burst a blood-vessel withimpatience; I know I shall!" exclaimed Jo.
Mr. Stanwood complied, by saying,
"The fact of the case is simply this. That red-haired young man, sographically described by you girls, that 'odious creature,' was theoperator I went to substitute for that day!"
"Oh!" said Nattie, a light beginning to break upon her.
"But how--" commenced Cyn.
"I will tell you how, if you will be patient," Mr. Stanwood interrupted,smiling. "His office, as you," looking at Nattie, "remember, had oncebeen on our wire. He had heard 'N' and I talking, and in fact had oftenannoyed us by breaking. So, as he was at the city, he took theopportunity to pass himself off for me; perhaps for the sake of a joke,perhaps from more malicious motives. I recognized his description atonce, from your story to-day, and I remember, too, his telling me on hisreturn, that he knew the best joke of the season a remark I did notnotice, never supposing it concerned me."
"Yes!" said Nattie, eagerly, "and he was very particular to ask me notto mention his call, on the wire."
"I do not suppose he imagined but we would eventually discover thefraud, however; and so we should, had not you," looking ratherreproachfully at Nattie, "in your haste to drop so undesirable anacquaintance, avoided the least hint of the true cause. How the dickenswas I to know what was the matter? I puzzled my brains enough over it, Iassure you."
"And that red-headed impostor has been chuckling in his sleeve eversince, I suppose," said Cyn, indignantly; then seizing. Mr. Stanwood bythe arms, she cried, in a transport of delight, "and it really is true?you are our 'C?'"
"What! am I not yet believed?" he questioned, laughing; "what more shallI do to convince you of my identity? you accepted our red-headed friendreadily enough!"
"Oh! I believe you!" cried Nattie, eagerly; then stopped, and colored,abashed at her own so plainly shown delight.
But Mr. Stanwood looked at her with a gratified expression in his browneyes.
"And you will not snub me any more, will you?" he said, pleadingly;"because I never use bear's grease or musk, and my hair isn't red abit!"
"I will try and make amends," Nattie answered, shyly; adding, "I oughtto have known there was some mistake. I never could reconcile thatcreature and--and 'C'!"
"Then I may flatter myself that I am an improvement?" asked Mr.Stanwood, merrily; at which Nattie murmured something about fishing forcompliments, and Cyn replied gayly,
"Yes; because you have curly hair! You remember what I said on the wire,_via_ Nat?"
"Could I forget?" he replied, gallantly.
"And it isn't a dream! You are 'C', the real 'C,'" replied Cyn, pinchingherself, and then seizing Nattie, who, from the suddenness of it all wasyet in a semi-bewildered state--there was not a bit of unhappiness init,
though--waltzed ecstatically around the room, crying, "Oh! I am soglad! I am so glad!"
At this point Quimby, who, during the preceding explanation had listenedwith a face illustrating every variety of consternation and dismay,attracted attention to himself by an audible groan, observing which, hemuttered something about his "wound"--the word had a double meaning forhim then, poor fellow!--and rising, came forward, took his friend by theshoulder, and asked, solemnly,
"Now, Clem--I--I beg pardon--but is it--is this all true, and--and notone of your jokes, you know? Honestly, are you that--that 'C'?"
"Here is a doubting Thomas for you!" cried Clem, gayly. "But, upon myword of honor, old boy, I truly and honestly am 'that C,' and I supposeyou were the 'other visitor of no consequence,' who called with MissArcher that day I was favored by an introduction to her. How little Ithought it then!"
"How little _I_ thought it!" groaned Quimby, as his hand fell dejectedlyfrom Clem's shoulder. "But I--I am used to it, you know!" So saying hesank into a chair. That _he_ had brought about such a result asthis--that _he_ had resurrected the dreaded "C" from the grave of muskand bear's grease was too much.
"But now that all is explained, I am really not sorry for the mistake,"Clem said, utterly unconscious of his friend's state of mind. "For, hadit not been for that I should never have learned, as I have to-day, fromyou two ladies, what a very interesting and agreeable fellow I am!" andhe bowed profoundly, with a twinkle of merriment in his eyes.
"Over the wire," Nattie added, pointedly.
"Of course, over the wire!" he said, with another bow. "But it shall bemy endeavor to make good my reputation, minus the wire!"
"You will have to work very hard to place Mr. Stanwood where 'C' was inour good graces!" said Cyn, archly.
"Then suppose we drop the Mr. Stanwood, and take up Clem, who alreadywas somewhat advanced!" he said, adroitly.
"Ah! Clem sounds more natural, doesn't it, Nat?" questioned Cynlaughing; "we knew Clem and 'C,' but Mr. Stanwood is a stranger!"
"Then let us drop him by all means! and now say you are glad to see yourold friend!" said Clem, gayly.
"We are transported with delight at beholding our Clem, so lately givenup as lost forever!" Cyn replied with equal gayety; and Clem, thenlooking at Nattie, as if he expected her to say something also, shemurmured,
"I am very glad to meet 'C,'" a remark that sounded cold beside that ofenthusiastic Cyn. But in fact Nattie was so confused, so happy, and sostrangely timid, that she longed to get away by herself and think it allover and quietly realize it; and besides, in her secret heart, Nattiefelt a growing conviction that Cyn used the plural pronoun we more thanprevious circumstances actually warranted.
"But Nat," said Cyn, all unconscious of her friend's jealous criticism,"you have not yet told me how you found him out?"
"He telegraphed to me with a pencil on the table, and coolly informed methat he was 'C,'" Nattie explained.
"And then you jumped up and threw us uninitiated ones into a great stateof alarm," said Cyn; "and instead of practicing for a drum corps, as Isupposed, you were talking secretly, you sly creatures!" then turning toClem, she asked, laughing, "what did you think when Nat dropped you sosuddenly and completely?"
"What could I think, except that it was a caprice of hers," he answered,laughing. "At first I thought she was vexed at my having gone to B a,but she denied that, and finally I believe I became angry myself, andconcluded to let her have her own way. Nevertheless, I could not resistcalling to see her, when I came to the city, and had I met with anyencouragement, I should probably have declared myself, but I wasannihilated without ceremony."
"You would not have been, perhaps, had you been honest in the firstplace, instead of asking unnecessary questions about tariffs," repliedNattie.
"Yes, but you were to recognize me by intuition you know, and I wantedto give you a chance," responded Clem, quickly.
Nattie looked a trifle abashed.
"But I am quite sure I should have suspected it was you, had I not givenyou up as hopelessly red-headed," she persisted; "why, almost the veryfirst 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 assureme that I do not fall so far short of your imaginary 'C,' as did mypersonator. I imagine your expression of countenance, on learning theintelligence, was hardly flattering to his vanity."
Nattie, who had colored at the first of his remark, repliedcontemptuously,
"His self-conceit was too great to attribute my very uncordial receptionto anything except, as he said, 'my bashfulness.' I presume it hasafforded him great enjoyment to think how successfully he stepped intoyour 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. "Iremember how indifferent he seemed when I hinted that now we had met thechief pleasure of talking on the wire was gone. And I believe he didn'tactually say in so many words that he was 'C,' but left me to understandit so."
"And I am indebted to him for being such a lonesome, miserable fellowthe latter part of my telegraphic career," said Clem, rather savagely.
Nattie murmured something about the time passing pleasanter when therewas 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 seatinghimself 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, aprey to his emotions--Clem continued;
"The truth of the matter is simply this, my father, with apig-headedness worthy of Eugene Wrayburn's M. R. F. in 'Our MutualFriend,' determined to make a doctor of me, not on account of anyqualifications of mine, but for the simple reason that a doctor is agood thing to have in a family. But I, having an intense dislike to thesmell of drugs, a repugnance to knowing anything more than absolutelynecessary about the 'ills that flesh is heir to,' and decided objectionsto having the sleep of my future life disturbed, declined, and at thesame time expressed a desire to go into the store with him, and become amerchant. Upon which my most immediate ancestor waxed wroth, called me,in plain, unvarnished words, a fool; and a pretty one I was to setmyself up against his will! I, who couldn't earn my salt without him toback me! Being of a contrary opinion myself, I determined to test myabilities in the salt line. I began," looking at Nattie, merrily, "bysalting you!"--then explaining to Cyn, Jo, and the silent Quimby,"'Salt' is a term operators use, when one tries to send faster than theother 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 acquaintedwith one of the managers in our city, succeeded in obtaining that veryundesirable office down there at X n, where I remained until my sternparent relented, concluded to hire a doctor instead of making one, andoffered me the control of a branch of the firm here in your city. Andhere I am!"
"And isn't it strange how you should have stumbled upon us, feast andall?" said Cyn, laughing.
Nattie was again disturbed by the plural pronoun, and also angry atherself 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 collegefriend 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! Imaginemy surprise and delight when I discovered who those friends were! But Idon't know as I should have dared to reveal mvself, having been so oftensnubbed,"--With a roguish glance at Nattie-- "if that story had not beentold and the mystery solved. Imagine my dismay, though, at being calledan 'odious creature,' and the surprise with which I listened to my owndescription! So earnest were you, that I actually, for a moment, thoughtmy hair must have turned red!" and he ra
n his fingers through his curlylocks 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-- "Youremember that pen and ink sketch? My first act of vengeance was todestroy it!"
"Never mind, Jo will do another, will you not?" asked Clem, turning tothat gentleman, who, upon being thus appealed to, arose, laid down thenutcracker he held, and said with the utmost solemnity,
"Jo is ready to draw anything. _But_ Jo is aghast and horrified at beingmixed even in the slightest degree with anything so near approaching theromantic, as the affair in question. What is the use of a fellow shavingoff his hair, I would like to know, if such things as these willhappen?"
"It is no use fighting against Nature!" laughed Cyn. "Romance always hasbeen since the world was, and always will be, I suppose. Your turn willcome, 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 istaking undue advantage of a fellow. A _wired_ romance is somethingentirely unexpected!"
"And besides, viewed telegraphically, there is nothing at all romanticin the whole affair!" said Nattie, who, between her confusion at theturn the conversation had taken, and her alarm lest something should besaid about that chubby Cupid--whom it will be remembered she hadsuppressed in her former description to "C "--was decidedly embarrassed.
Before Jo could express his satisfaction at this statement, Clemexclaimed, reproachfully,
"Oh! do not say that! not even to spare our friend's feelings can I denythe romance of our acquaintance."
"I quite agree with you," said Cyn; "I really believe Nat is going overto Jo's ideas. Never mind! just wait until your turn comes, youunsentimental Jo."
"Madam!" cried Jo, "when I find myself in the condition you describe, Iwill come and place the disposal of myself in your hands!" and he madeher a profound bow.
There is many a true word spoken in jest, and none of the little partythere assembled imagined how true, indeed, these words were to prove, asCyn gayly answered,
"It is a bargain, Jo, and I shall have no mercy on you, I can assureyou."
"And we must not forget that we are indebted to Quimby for theunraveling of all this mystery," said Nattie. She smiled on him where hesat, in his dismayed isolation, as she spoke, and although it was thewarmest smile she had ever yet bestowed upon him, he was rendered nohappier by its warmth.
"Yes, how fortunate it was, Clem, that you looked him up!" said Cyn.
Nattie wondered that she could pronounce 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 bythe hand, Cyn and Nattie gave exclamations of pleasure, and Quimbysuddenly started into life. "I--I beg pardon," he said, hastily, "butI--I really--I though you said you had rather be farther down town, youknow."
"Yes, that was my first inclination, but as you urged me so much, and asI 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 notobserve but what Quimby looked as happy as might be expected, at thisintelligence.
"'Oh, won't we have a jolly time,"' sang Cyn, and Clem, Nattie andJo--but not Quimby--took up the chorus.
And obtuse as he was, Quimby could not but observe that Nattie's eyeswere shining in a way he had never seen them shine before, that theever-coming and going flush on her cheeks was very becoming, and thatthere was an expression in her face, when she looked at Clem, that facehad never held for _him_. Nor could he fail to think, that the romanticcommencement of the acquaintance of these two, even the episode of themusk-scented impostor all now enhanced the interest Nattie had once feltfor the invisible "C" neither did he need a prophet to tell him that thetwo girls would sit up half the night, talking confidentially over thisunexpected and happy _denouement_, or even that Nattie's sleep would notbe quite as sound as usual.
Love, it is said, is blind. So, to some things, perhaps, it is, butnever 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 Ithank 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 wasabsolutely necessary, Quimby followed him with dejected mien, fullyaware 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!