Dorothy Dale in the City

by Margaret Penrose

  CHAPTER XVII TAVIA'S RESOLVE

  Tavia was preoccupied at breakfast. Ned slily guessed that she wasyearning for a certain someone left behind in Dalton, but Tavia justsmiled, and insisted that she was paying strict attention to othermatters.

  "Then why," demanded Ned, "have you poured maple syrup into your coffee?"

  "I didn't!" declared Tavia, but there was little use denying it when shecarefully stirred her cup.

  Dorothy shook her forefinger at Tavia. "This morning you had your ribbonsin your hair, and yet you asked me to find them for you; and then yousaid you were a 'stupid' when I located them for you--on top of yourhead."

  "But I still deny that I am preoccupied, or dreaming," declared Tavia."In fact, I'm too wideawake. It hurts to be as fully awake as I am!"

  "Look out!" warned Ned, "there, you almost put sugar in your egg cup!"

  "Please stop noticing me," said poor Tavia, chagrined at last intopleading with her teasers. "Suppose I admit that I am deeply absorbed?"

  "Don't do anything of the sort," said Aunt Winnie, "just put all themaple syrup in your coffee that you wish; you may like coffee that way,if Ned does not."

  It was noticeable to all that Tavia's attention was not given to herimmediate surroundings, and while the others were still at breakfast, thegirl stole noiselessly to her room, dressed for the street, and quietlyopened the door leading into their private hall. She listened, and caughtthe sound of merry voices from the breakfast room. She tiptoed down thehall, opened the outer door, and reached the elevator in safety. Sherang, and it seemed almost an hour before the car came up. Elevators aresuch slow things when one is on an errand that must be done in haste!

  Tavia watched Mrs. White's door, afraid every moment that Dorothy or AuntWinnie would pop out. But the elevator did finally arrive, and biddingthe boy "good morning" Tavia at last felt safe. To what they would saywhen they discovered that she had gone out alone through the streets ofNew York city, Tavia gave only a momentary thought. It could all beexplained so nicely when she returned.

  She hastened to a corner drug-store, asked permission to use the paytelephone, and entered the booth. Not until then did Tavia know fear! Howto telephone, what to say--she couldn't think connectedly. After findingthe number, she took off the receiver with more confidence than shereally felt. Her heart beat so fast that she thought the girl at thecentral office would ask what that thumping noise was on the wire!

  "Hello!" she called, timidly.

  A boy's voice at the other end of the line answered.

  "I would like to speak with Mr. Akerson, if you please," said Tavia, andfelt braver now that she had really started on her adventure.

  "Is this Mr. Akerson? No?" Someone had answered, but evidently it was notthe right man.

  After a long wait another voice floated into Tavia's ear--a woman'svoice. Tavia said, becoming impatient: "I simply want to talk with Mr.Akerson. Is that impossible?"

  She was assured by the voice at the other end that it was not, but Mr.Akerson was always busy, and must have the name of the party. This wasnot what Tavia had expected, and for a moment she was confused and feltlike hanging up the receiver and running away.

  "Well?" asked the young lady.

  "Tell him--oh, just tell him, a young lady; he doesn't know me."

  "I must have your name, or I cannot call him to the 'phone."

  "How aggravating!" exclaimed Tavia to the empty air, "I didn't expect Iwould have to publish my name broadcast." Then she spoke into thereceiver:

  "I want to see Mr. Akerson on very special, important business that onlyconcerns myself; kindly tell him that, please," she said, with greatdignity.

  Not a sound came from the other end and Tavia began to wonder whetherthis would end her mission, when a loud, hearty voice yelled right in herear:

  "Hello-o-o!"

  It only startled Tavia. At that moment she couldn't have remembered herown name.

  "Hello-o!" called the impatient voice again.

  "Might I have an interview with you this morning?" Tavia at last managedto gasp.

  "Who is this?" asked the voice in a more gentle tone.

  "I'm a young lady who wants a private interview with you," she answered,trying to be very impressive.

  "Why certainly," said the man's voice. "When do you wish to see me?"Tavia caught a hint of amusement in the tone, so she answered quickly,trying to throw into her accent the commanding tones of grown-up women:"I must see you immediately, and just as soon as I can get down to youroffice."

  "Very well," said the voice, "but won't you tell me your name?"

  "Not now," answered Tavia, still maintaining great dignity of voice, "andplease, will you tell me just how to reach your office--and--and, oh, allabout getting there. You see, I really don't know where Nassau Streetis."

  The man laughed, and Tavia quickly jotted down the directions and leftthe telephone a bit perplexed. How amused the man had been! Perhaps itwasn't customary for young girls to make appointments thus. Taviaquailed, she did so detest doing anything that a born and bred New Yorkgirl would not do.

  The mere matter of taking a surface car and reaching lower Broadway was abit nerve-racking, but simple in the extreme. Tavia felt that, for acountry girl, she could travel through the city like a veteran. Mr.Akerson had specifically told her not to take the subway, as it might bepuzzling, but, finding the office building was not as simple as findingthe proper car to get there had been. There were numerous large buildingson the block, and such crowds of heedless men rushing passed her! Therewere as many people in the middle of the street as there were on thewalks. Everyone was in a tremendous hurry, and could not wait for hisneighbor.

  Lower New York presented to Tavia the most bewildering, impossible placeshe had ever imagined! In the shopping districts, New York is enchanting,but this section, with its forbidding-looking, sunless, narrow streets,and the wind blowing constantly, piercing and sharp, made Tavia shiverunder her furs. Each building seemed equipped with whirling doors thatwere perpetually in motion, and to enter one of these doors caused Taviato shrink back and wish heartily that Dorothy or Ned was with her.

  She stood waiting an opportune moment to slip into the rapidly-swingingdoors, and should have turned away in despair of ever entering, when ayoung man stopped, and holding the circular portal still, with one strongarm, he bowed to Tavia to pass through. She plunged into the compartmentand was whirled into a white marble hall directly in front of a row ofelevators. Again she read the address of Mr. Akerson. "Room 1409."Entering an elevator she wondered in a misty, dizzy way how one knewwhere to get off to find room Number 1409.

  "Eighteenth floor!" yelled the elevator operator, looking askance atTavia. Then before Tavia could think, he called, "Going down!" and theelevator filled up for the downward trip. Tavia gasped. How stupid shehad been! How she wished Dorothy was with her! Then she left the elevatoron the ground floor and pulling together all her courage, she asked animportant looking man in uniform, how she could reach Room 1409.

  "Fourteenth floor, to your right," explained the man, taking thebewildered Tavia by the arm and putting her on an elevator.

  "So that's the system," thought Tavia, and she could have laughed aloud.And marveling at the perfect simplicity of so many things that at firstglance seemed complicated, Tavia found herself at the fourteen floor.

  "Room Fourteen Hundred and Nine to your right," said the elevator boy,without Tavia having asked him anything about it.

  "To your right," sounded simple, but as Tavia surveyed the various halls,running in numerous directions, she grew weary of her first business tripand so tired that she almost lost sight of the reason for the journey.Under the guidance of a flippant young person, Tavia finally located "tothe right."

  She opened the door and entered. She fairly rushed into the officebecause she felt that Mr. Akerson must be tired waiting for her arrival.A small boy sat at a telephone switchboard.

  "Who
d'yer wanta see?" asked the boy, with utter indifference.

  "Mr. Akerson," said Tavia.

  The boy telephoned to somewhere, and presently a young girl appeared, andwithout a word, conducted Tavia through a long suite of offices, withcrowds of clerks, desks and bookcases in every conceivable corner. Theyoung miss poked her head into a door and called out:

  "Mr. A."

  "A's not in," called back another young voice. "Back in half an hour."

  Tavia sat down and looked about her. So this was the way business menkept important appointments! Back in half an hour! It seemed ages sinceTavia left Mrs. White's breakfast room, but the ticking clock on the wallannounced that it was just ten-thirty. She must return for lunch, or thefamily would be frightened. She quietly looked about her, and in onequick glance decided that after all, the various eyes that were lookingher way, might be kindly eyes, and with a great deal of courage, for itreally takes courage to face a long line of clerks in a business office,Tavia smiled at the entire force. Soon she became interested in theclicking typewriting machines, and the adding apparatus, and forgot allabout herself, which seemed the best thing in the world to do. The mostcomfortable and happy people of all are those who can become sointerested in others that they forget themselves.