Jo.

I answered that very moment:

To Jo:

I am dying for news of you. Answer.

Cricket.

Then I asked, “Can you deliver the message to-night?”

“Yes; it has been delivered. I am Jo,” the sounder clicked. “This is confidential. See if any one is on the line.”

I rang off the calls of the hill circuit and got no answer, and knew we had the wire to ourselves.

“Are you an operator?” I asked.

“Yes. I had to have a talk with you, and so here I am, at last.”