there! I must! Gene, don't you see that I'm frantic with anxiety?
The money means nothing to me. I want to know if he is safe."

His hand was still gripped over the transmitter. Suddenly she turned
and tugged at it fiercely. Her sharp little nails bit into the flesh
of his fingers. In a last desperate effort she placed the receiver
to her lips.

"Give me long distance, Coaldale Number--"

With a quick movement he snapped the connecting wire from the
instrument, and the receiver was free in her hand.

"Doris, you are mad!" he protested. "Wait a minute, my dear girl--
just a minute."

"I don't care! I _will_ know!"

Mr. Wynne turned and picked up a heavy cane from the hall-stand, and
brought it down on the transmitter with all his strength. The
delicate mechanism jangled and tingled, then the front fell off at
their feet. The diaphragm dropped and rolled away.

"Doris, you must not!" he commanded again gravely. "We will find
another way, dear."

"How dare you?" she demanded violently. "It was cowardly."

"You don't understand--"