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Show 6Ike A Radio and - ReddyAl ROBAELY no one In the world had more friends than Sally Snow. Friends of all kinds, from the boy who shouted Ids newspapers news-papers In front of her apartment to the policeman on the heat. His'i friends and low friends had Sully fcat Christmas Eve found her alone. She left the office early. There was do particular reason to, however. All I'or gifis were tied up and mailed. Xo one was waiting for her at home. There wasn't the slightest pressure or hurry nhout anything. And Christmas Eve. thought Sally, without bustle and fuss and jostling and merry confusion, wasn't Christmas Eve at all She walked up Fifth avenue. She fngu.'ly hoped that some of the holiday holi-day spirit of the crowds of New York ri'Kht enter her veins and thrill her 1;P"rt She felt sorry fur herself, and cress, nnd utterly, out of sorts. Her P'e:is;,i,t pluns had nil gone awry. No one could spare time from their famines fami-nes t celebrate with her. And Sally llv'.id too many thousand miles away froir; in, me to get there for Christmas, '-'it- iiiul lepn too proud to accept: the Eee-ro'js invitations of some of the "i?r ci,!s in the office. They asked her to go home If Willi them. Bui she knew she would feel out of tilings, try. as she might to he jolly. Oh, well she might scrape some . one up to go to n play or concert. She walked until she was tired and then took a bus. Once in the crush of people at a si root corner she caught her breath. There was a sudden sud-den hint of broad shoulders she used to know. A cer tain liif-m cari of the head, a quick decisiveness of manner, 'j hen the man was lost to view. shw.k herself for a silly fool. She thought she had crowded all that nonsense out of her mind long ago. P.esides. Redely had gone on one of those idiotic expeditions to Mongolia, to hunt up ridiculous hones of prehistoric prehis-toric animals. Accounts of his expedition expedi-tion had been in the papers off and on for three years. Sally found her npartment warm and cozy. She was more tired than she realized. A slow languor spread over her. Siie decideil to stay nt home, not even going out for dinner. She had a good hook or two, and there was always the radio. After a nap she chirked up amazingly. amaz-ingly. She decided she wouldn't grouch any longer. A little tingle of excitement wriggled up her neck. No reason at all but she felt it and lau'-hed. She supped gayly on a homemade home-made salad, bread and butter and a piece of 1-ft -over cake. Doing up the few dishes she felt positively merry. The old-time, childish excitement about everything concerning Christmas Christ-mas began singing in her heart. She laughed aloud. 'I won't even look up the concerts tonight over the radio," she announced. an-nounced. "I'll just tune In at random and see what happens." With a little nutter of happiness she manipulated the dials on her small set. A harsh rasping the clapping of many hands continued applause! She listened, keyed up to a high pitch of suspense. Probably some ordinary or-dinary sin'.:er wailing out sentimental tunes. Then silence. Quite, a long silence then a voice. Sally stiffened in her chair. Color drained out of her face. She scarcely breathed. "You are kind," said the voice, "to ive a weary-worn traveler such a welcome wel-come home. I have been in far places " There was an Interval when Sally's clear brain blurred. She lost the next few sentences. Then she regained iter poise and sat intent on every word. Pack of what she heard with her ears was the unfolding book of memory. Pa-e after page fluttered through her consciousness. That terrific row she nnd Reddv had over nothing at all-how all-how he had left in a white fury how he had said he would go to the end of the world and never come back. The,- were young and impetuous. She had ' not seen him for seven years In the meantime he had made n name for himself in science. And three years ago he went on this famous fa-mous expedition. There had been a formal letter or two between them. That was all. Now he was back back In New York on Christmas Eve, addressing a large audience ! Sully took off the earphones. She s.,t a minute longer. Then in a whirl of impulse she threw on her coat and j !,t and went flying out the door. Like a hammering pulse three words battered bat-tered against her brain I must see him ! I must see him ! Somehow she squeezed Into the big hall. Somehow she stayed still and listened until it was all over. Somehow Some-how afterward she moved to the front of the room near the platform. She walked as in a dream. Site must! She i must. A power other than her own sent her feet steadily to the place where Red-dy Red-dy stood. Thinner he was, lean and brown. Heavy lines in his face. Mouth almost al-most grim. But his eyes just the same quizzical and laughing. Sally was next . now in the waiting wait-ing group who were congratulating congratulat-ing the successful explorer. Her throat quivered. She could scarcely lift her eyes. Then suddenly her voice came, clear, controlled con-trolled and natural. "Merry Christmas, Christ-mas, Daddy !" They went out to dinner somewhere,. Reddy tucked Sally under his arm. They talked and laughed and chatted both at' once. They made abject apologies apol-ogies for their stupid behavior to each other seven years ago. They tried to cram a thousand questions and answers an-swers into every minute. Never had the hea l waiter seen a happier couple. They were unashamed of their joy. They didn't care. Which Is the way i the world over when you really care and your heart is humming like a ce-, lestial harp in heaven. "I knew your voice instantly," said Sally at least a dozen times. "Do you think you could marry me by New Year's?" persisted Keddy. "Don't be ridiculous, you absurd boy!" "Then I'll scoot off for another seven years !" The threat brought her down. "Come to my apartment for a moment and say 'Merry Christmas ! to the radio," she begged. And Reddy did. l?i. Western Newspaper Union.) I " |