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She demanded to be instantly put into communication with the
DAILY REPUBLIC and Mr。 Sam Ward。 She turned again upon Helen
Page。
〃I'm tired of being called a good sport；〃 she protested； 〃by
men who aren't half so good sports as I am。 I'm tired of
being talked to about moneyas though I were a stock…broker。
This man's got a head on his shoulders； and he's got the
shoulders too； and he's got a darned good…looking head； and
he thinks I'm a ministering angel and a saint； and he put me
up on a pedestal and made me dizzyand I like being made
dizzy； and I'm for him！ And I'm going after him！〃
〃Be still！〃 implored Helen Page。 〃Any one might think you
meant it！〃 She nodded violently at the discreet backs of the
men…servants。
〃Ye gods； Parker！〃 cried Anita Flagg。 〃Does it take three of
you to pour a cup of tea？ Get out of here； and tell everybody
that you all three caught me in the act of proposing to an
American gentleman over the telephone and that the betting is
even that I'll make him marry me！〃
The faithful and sorely tried domestics fled toward the door。
〃And what's more；〃 Anita hurled after them； 〃get your bets
down quick； for after I meet him the odds will be a hundred
to one！〃
Had the REPUBLIC been an afternoon paper； Sam might have been
at the office and might have gone to the telephone； and
things might have happened differently； but； as the REPUBLIC
was a morning paper； the only person in the office was the
lady who scrubbed the floors and she refused to go near the
telephone。 So Anita Flagg said； 〃I'll call him up later；〃 and
went happily on her ride； with her heart warm with love for
all the beautiful world； but later it was too late。
To keep himself fit； Sam Ward always walked to the office。 On
this particular morning Hollis Holworthy was walking uptown
and they met opposite the cathedral。
〃You're the very man I want；〃 said Hollworthy joyously
〃you've got to decide a bet。〃
He turned and fell into step with Sam。
〃It's one I made last night with Anita Flagg。 She thinks you
didn't know who she was yesterday； and I said that was
ridiculous。 Of course you knew。 I bet her a theatre party。〃
To Sam it seemed hardly fair that so soon； before his fresh
wound had even been dressed； it should be torn open by
impertinent fingers； but he had no right to take offense。 How
could the man； or any one else； know what Sister Anne had
meant to him？
〃I'm afraid you lose；〃 he said。 He halted to give Holworthy
the hint to leave him； but Holworthy had no such intention。
〃You don't say so！〃 exclaimed that young man。 〃Fancy one of
you chaps being taken in like that。 〃I thought you were
taking her ingetting up a story for the Sunday supplement。〃
Sam shook his head； nodded； and again moved on； but he was
not yet to escape。 〃And； instead of your fooling her；〃
exclaimed Holworthy incredulously； 〃she was having fun； with
you！〃
With difficulty Sam smiled。
〃So it would seem；〃 he said。
〃She certainly made an awfully funny story of it！〃 exclaimed
Holworthy admiringly。 〃I thought she was making it upshe
must have made some of it up。 She said you asked her to take
a day off in New York。 That isn't so is it？〃
〃Yes； that's so。〃
〃By Jove！〃 cried Holworthyand that you invited her to see
the moving…picture shows？〃
Sam； conscious of the dearly bought front row seats in his
pocket； smiled pleasantly。
〃Did she say I said thator you？〃 he asked
〃She did。〃
〃Well； then； I must have said it。〃
Holworthy roared with amusement。
〃And that you invited her to feed peanuts to the monkeys at
the Zoo？〃
Sam avoided the little man's prying eyes。
〃Yes； I said that too。〃
〃And I thought she was making it up！〃 exclaimed Holworthy。
〃We did laugh。 You must see the fun of it yourself。〃
Lest Sam should fail to do so he proceeded to elaborate。
〃You must see the fun in a man trying to make a date with
Anita Flaggjust as if she were nobody！〃
〃I don't think；〃 said Sam； 〃that was my idea。〃 He waved his
stick at a passing taxi。 〃I'm late；〃 he said。 He abandoned
Hollis on the sidewalk； chuckling and grinning with delight；
and unconscious of the mischief he had made。
An hour later at the office； when Sam was waiting for an
assignment； the telephone boy hurried to him； his eyes lit
with excitement。
〃You're wanted on the 'phone；〃 he commanded。 His voice
dropped to an awed whisper。 〃Miss Anita Flagg wants to speak
to you！〃
The blood ran leaping to Sam's heart and face。 Then he
remembered that this was not Sister Anne who wanted to speak
to him； but a woman he had never met。
〃Say you can't find me；〃 he directed。 The boy gasped； fled；
and returned precipitately。
〃The lady says she wants your telephone numbersays she must
have it。〃
〃Tell her you don't know it； tell her it's against the
rulesand hang up。〃
Ten minutes later the telephone boy； in the strictest
confidence； had informed every member of the local staff that
Anita Flaggthe rich； the beautiful； the daring； the
original of the Red Cross story of that morninghad twice
called up Sam Ward and by that young man had been thrown
downand thrown hard！
That night Elliott； the managing editor； sent for Sam； and
when Sam entered his office he found also there Walsh； the
foreign editor； with whom he was acquainted only by sight。
Elliott introduced them and told Sam to be seated。
〃Ward；〃 he began abruptly； 〃I'm sorry to lose you； but you've
got to go。 It's on account of that story of this morning。〃
Sam made no sign； but he was deeply hurt。 From a paper he had
served so loyally this seemed scurvy treatment。 It struck him
also that； considering the spirit in which the story had been
written； it was causing him more kinds of trouble than was
quite fair。 The loss of position did not disturb him。 In the
last month too many managing editors had tried to steal him
from the REPUBLIC for him to feel anxious as to the future。
So he accepted his dismissal calmly； and could say without
resentment：
〃Last night I thought you liked the story； sir？
〃I did；〃 returned Elliott； 〃I liked it so much that I'm
sending you to a bigger place； where you can get bigger
stories。 We want you to act as our special correspondent in
London。 Mr。 Walsh will explain the work； and if you'll go
you'll sail next Wednesday。〃
After his talk with the foreign editor Sam again walked home
on air。 He could not believe it was realthat it was
actually to him it had happened； for hereafter he was to
witness the march of great events； to come in contact with
men of international interests。 Instead of reporting what was
of concern only from the Battery to Forty…seventh Street； he
would now tell New York what was of interest in Europe and
the British Empire； and so to the whole world。 There was one
drawback only to his happinessthere was no one with whom he
might divide it。 He wanted to celebrate his good fortune； he
wanted to share it with some one who would understand how
much it meant to him； who would really care。 Had Sister Anne
lived； she would have understood； and he would have laid
himself and his new position at her feet and begged her to
accept thembegged her to run away with him to this
tremendous and terrifying capital of the world； and start the
new life together。
Among all the women he knew； there was none to take her
place。 Certainly Anita Flagg could not take her place。 Not
because she was rich； not because she had jeered at him and
made him a laughing…stock； not because his admirationand he
blushed when he remembered how openly； how ingenuously he had
shown it to hermeant nothing； but because the girl he
thought she was； the girl he had made dreams about and wanted
to marry without a moment's notice； would have seen that what
he offered； ridiculous as it was when offered to Anita Flagg；
was not ridiculous when offered sincerely to a tired； nerve…
worn； overworked nurse in a hospital。 It was because Anita
Flagg had not seen that that she could not now make up to him
for the girl he had lost； even though she herself had
inspired that girl and for a day given her existence。
Had he known it； the Anita Flagg of his imagining was just as
unlike and as unfair to the real girl as it was possible for
two people to be。 His Anita Flagg he had created out of the
things he had read of her in impertinent Sunday supplements
and from the impression he had been given of her by the
little ass； Holworthy。 She was not at all like that。 Ever
since she had come of age she had been beset by sycophants
and flatterers； both old and young； both men and girls； and
by men who wanted her money and by men who wanted her。 And it
was because she got the motives of the latter two confused
that she was so often hurt and said sharp； bitter things that
made her appear hard and heartless。
As a matter of fact； in approaching her in the belief that he
was addressing an entirely different person； Sam had got
nearer to the real Anita Flagg than had any other man。 And
sowhen on arriving at the office the next morning； which
was a Friday； he received a telegram reading； 〃Arriving to…
morrow nine…thirty from Greenwich； the day cannot begin too
soon； don't forget you promised to meet me