d he
hurried into the little room at the end of the hall where the phone
stood, Mrs. Kilton following, while the Doctor wondered what the next
move must be. A moment later he joined them. Athol soon had Woodbine on
the wire and then ensued a funny, one-sided conversation.

"Oh, Uncle Athol, is that you?"

* * * * *

"Say, have you,--that is,--has Bev sent any message to you today? What!
She's there, in bed? Great Scott! When did she come?"

* * * * *

"Three-thirty this morning on Apache? And all in? Gee! But she's all
right now? You have just been hearing the whole story from her? She did
those thirty-five miles in three hours? Jimminy Christmas! Say, she's a
pippin! Bully girl! I knew that pie-face over at her school would queer
the whole show. Say, Uncle Ath, I'd just like to put one over on her for
fair. What did she do to Bev, anyhow?"

* * * * *

"She never! What, told her she _lied_!" Athol very nearly kicked over the
little phone stand.

"And Bev wouldn't stand for it and lit out? Snappy work! I say, Uncle
Ath, let me come home, please, and hear all about it. I'll blow up if you
don't say yes, honest, I shall. The Doctor won't let me? You bet he will.
He and Mrs. Kilton are right here beside me and almost dancing up and
down. They're peaches."

"Oh, I beg your pardon!" he jerked over his shoulder. "But they are all
right. They've been almost worried to death. They heard of it early this
morning and wanted to get word to you right off, but didn't dare butt in,
you see....

"Yes, they have just said I may come and I'll be down on the first train
in the morning. I mustn't say a word to _Arch_. Oh, Uncle Ath! Well, I
won't if you say not but I reckon I'll burst if I don't tell him. You
don't want the old maid to get wise that Bev's at Woodbine? Going to give
her a little dose of discipline? Oh, I say, Uncle Ath, give her all
that's coming to her. She rates it all right, all right. She's made
things just too darned hot for Bev, and a whole bunch of the girls up
there. Everybody hates her."

"Eh?" as Mrs. Kilton's hand was laid warningly upon his shoulder. Dr.
Kilton had turned hastily away. He could not trust his countenance, nor
did he wish to hear too much. The boy which had never died in him was
rebelling in sympathy with Athol.

A few more sentences and Athol hung up t