THE CABLE THE CABLE A Novel BY MARION AMES TAGGART _Author of “No Handicap”_ [Illustration: BENZIGER BROTHERS] NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO BENZIGER BROTHERS PUBLISHERS OF BENZIGER’S MAGAZINE 1923 COPYRIGHT 1923, BY BENZIGER BROTHERS Printed in the United States of America Dedicated ex voto to THE LITTLE WHITE CHURCH of ST. MARY OF THE MOUNT at Mount Pocono CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Enter Miss Cicely Adair 9 II The Rôle of Perseus 24 III Miss Jeanette Lucas 39 IV Transplanting 56 V The Pinch of Necessity 72 VI Beginning 88 VII Codes 104 VIII Cable Strands 121 IX Atalanta’s Pause 137 X Public Franchise and Private Thraldom 154 XI The Weakness of Strength 171 XII The Strained Cable 188 XIII Darkness 204 XIV Indecision 221 XV Decision 236 XVI Witnessing 252 XVII Good-bye 268 XVIII Orientation 283 XIX The New Year 298 XX The Old Bottle for New Wine 314 XXI The Weaving 329 XXII Entangled Threads 344 XXIII The Next Step 360 XXIV The Beacon 375 XXV Port 390 THE CABLE CHAPTER I ENTER MISS CICELY ADAIR A group of small boys stood on the corner, looking anxiously down the shaded street. They ranged from eight to twelve years in age; from grimy hands to universal griminess in uncleanliness; from comfortable meagreness to ragged poverty in clothing, while in race they were polyglot, but they were identical in the impatience with which they scanned the sidewalk, vision-length, and found it empty though there were frequent passers-by. “Gee! What’s the matter wid her?” “Say! She wouldn’t go th’ udder way?” “Th’ odder way nothin’! Don’t she know we’re waitin’?” The tallest, but also the raggedest, boy of the group made a fine gesture, drawing a nickel watch from somewhere between his bagging shirt and tight trousers. “’Tain’t so late,” he said, displaying the watch’s candid face. “Twenty to one by mine, an’ I set her by the city hall when de ball dropped’t noon. She ain’t so late.” “Whatjer bet she’s got, sour balls ’r peanuts?” asked the smallest boy.