"All right. Hold the wire, Smith. I'll report progress——"
"What! Stand here and wait——"
"Don't be selfish. I'll return in a moment."
The "moment" stretched into a buzzing, crackling half hour, punctuated by impatient inquiries from Central. Suddenly an excited: "Hello, Smith!"
"Hello, you infernal——"
"I've done it! I've bought every doll! She's the sweetest thing; I told her I had a plan for endowing a ward in any old hospital she might name, and she thinks we ought to talk it over, so I'm going to sit out on the terrace with her—Smith!"
"What?"
"Oh, I thought you'd gone! I only wanted to say that she is far, far lovelier than I had supposed. I can't wait here talking with you any longer. Good-by!"
"Is she the Countess?" shouted Smith incredulously. But Kingsbury had rung off.