Breaking away from Louise, she sought the lineman of her acquaintance. Eagerly she broached her request.
“Not a chance to use that line, Sister,” he answered impatiently. “Our ’phones are for testing purposes only.”
“But this is a very great emergency—”
“Sorry,” the lineman brought her up short. “You’ll have to put your call through the regular channels. Regulations.”
Baffled by the cold refusal, Penny turned away. Even though she knew the telephone man had no authority to grant her request, she was none the less annoyed.
“This is enough to drive one mad!” she complained to Louise. “It may be hours before the downtown telephone office will offer toll service.”
“Well, it does no good to fret about it,” her chum shrugged. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Penny muttered.
Her attention had been drawn to a man in a gray business suit who was talking earnestly to the fireman of the line gang.
“That’s Mr. Nordwall!” she announced.