A few days after, Nattie, who had quite paralyzed Miss Kling by refusing to listen to what she boldly termed unfounded gossip about her new friend, went to spend an evening with her. Miss Archer occupied a suite of rooms, consisting of a parlor and a very small bed-room that had been Mrs. Simonson's own, but which on account of the "ways and means" she had given up now, confining herself exclusively to the kitchen, fitted up to look as much like a parlor as a kitchen could. "And how is 'C'?" asked Miss Archer as she warmly welcomed her visitor. "Still as agreeable as ever," Nattie replied. "I told him I was coming to see you this evening and he sent his regards, and wished he could be of the party." "I wish he might. But that would spoil the mystery," rejoined Miss Archer. "Do you know what the 'C' is for?" "'Clem,' he says. His other name I don't know. He would give me some outlandish cognomen if I should ask. But it isn't of much consequence." "It might be if you should really fall in love with him," laughed Miss Archer. "Fall in love! Over the wire! That is absurd, especially as I am not susceptible," Nattie answered, coloring a trifle, however, as she remembered how utterly disconsolate she had been all that morning, because a "cross" on the wire had for several hours cut off communication between her office and "X n." "You think it would be too romantic for real life? Doubtless you are right. And the funny incidents--have you anything new in your note-book?" "Only that a man to-day, who had perhaps just dined, wanted to know the tariff to the U--nited St--at--ates," answered Nattie, glancing at some autumn leaves tastefully arranged on the walls and curtains. "But 'C' was telling me about a mistake that was lately made--not by him, he vehemently asserts, although I am inclined to think it was; the message as originally sent was, 'John is dead, be at home at three,' when it was delivered it read, 'John is dead _beat_; home at three.'" "How was that possible?" asked Miss Archer, laughing, "I suppose the sending operator did not leave space enough between the words; we leave a small space between letters, and a longer one between words," explained Nattie. "The operator who received it must have been rather stupid not to have seen the mistake," Miss Archer said. "I have too good an opinion of your 'C' to believe it was he. But every profession has its comic side as well as its tricks, I suppose; mine, I am sure, does. But I am learning something every day, and I am determined," energetically, "to fight my way up!" Stirred by Miss Archer's earnestness, there came to Nattie an uneasy consciousness that she herself was making no progress towards her only dreamed of ambition, and a shade crossed her face; but without observing it, Miss Archer continued,