Christian fiction; Families -- Fiction; Love stories
"Long distance wants yer," he announced, looking her over
apathetically. "Mr. Barnard, of Philadelphia, wants to talk to yer!"
and with the final word chanted nasally he alighted upon his obedient
steed and spun away down the walk again.
"But, wait! Where shall I go? Where is the telephone?"
"Pay station!" shouted the impervious child, turning his head over his
shoulder, "Drug store! Two blocks from the post office!"
Without waiting to go upstairs Shirley, whose training had been to
answer the telephone at once, caught up Elizabeth's parasol that lay on
a settee by the door, rumpled her fingers through her hair by way of
toilet and hurried down the steps in the direction the boy had
disappeared, wondering what in the world Mr. Barnard could want of her?
Was he going to call her back from her vacation? Was this perhaps the
only day she would have, this and yesterday? There would always be
yesterday! With a sigh she looked wistfully at the sea. If she had
only known a summons was to come so soon she would not have wasted a
second on magazines. She would have sat and gazed all the afternoon at
the sea. If Mr. Barnard wanted her, of course she would have to go.
Business was business and she couldn't afford to lose her job even with
that fairy dream of five thousand to her credit in the bank. She knew,
of course, she meant to give that back. It was hers for the day, but
it could not become tangible. It was beautiful, but it was right that
it must go back, and if her employer felt he must cut short her
vacation why of course she must acquiesce and just be glad she had had
this much. Perhaps it was just as well, anyway, for if Sidney Graham
came down and spent a few days there was no knowing what foolish
notions her heart would take, jumping and careening the way it had been
doing lately when he just looked at her. Yes, she would go back if Mr.
Barnard wanted her. It was the best thing she could do. Though
perhaps he would only be calling her to ask where she had left
something for which they were searching. That stupid Ashton girl who
took her place might not have remembered all her directions.
Breathless, with possibilities crowding upon her mind, she hurried into
the drug store and sought the telephone booth. It seemed ages before
the connection was made and she heard Mr. Barnard's dry familiar tones
over the phone:
"That you, Miss Hollister? This is Mr. Barnard. I'm sorry to disturb
you right in the midst of your holiday, but a matter has come up that
is rather serious and I'm wondering if you could help us out for a day
or two. If you would we'd be glad to give you fifty dollars for the
extra time, and let you extend your vacation to a month instead of two
weeks. Do you think you could spare a day or two to help us right
away?"
"Oh! Why, yes, of course!" faltered Shirley, her eyes dancing at the
thought of the extra vacation and money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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