sounder, "that I have found the very little girl I expected!"
And then their eyes met, and Nattie hastily rose and walked to the window, for no ostensible purpose, and Clem said, going after her,
"It is nicer talking on the wire, isn't it?"
Nattie was saved the necessity of replying by some one down the line who just then inquired,
"Who was that talking soft nonsense just now? We don't allow that sort of thing here!"
"How impertinent!" exclaimed Nattie.
"Possibly our red-headed friend is somewhere about," Clem said; then taking the key, responded to the unknown questioner,
"Don't trouble yourself; I shall not talk soft nonsense to you!"
"That sounds like 'C's' writing! Is it?" was asked quickly.
"My style must be very peculiar to be so readily detected," Clem said to Nattie, laughingly; then replied on the wire, "If you will sign I will tell you."
"Em."
"Ah!" said Clem, and immediately acknowledged himself. Then followed a short chat with "Em," in which she endeavored to make him confess what office he was then sending from, which he persistently refused to do.
