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10
KEEBAN

I was leaning toward Jerry now. "Who?"

"Myself, Steve! Don't look at me as if I'm a loon. I tell you that fellow who came to the 'phone gave me a jump higher than yours. He didn't talk exactly like me; I mean, didn't say words I'd have said—quite; but he said 'em the way I speak, Steve. After I'd heard him, 'Who in the devil are you?' I said.

"'Jerry Fanneal,' he said, cool. 'Who's this?'

"Of course that left me without a comeback! 'You're with Dorothy Crewe?' I said. 'Let me talk to her!'

"'All right,' he said; and like a fool I waited three minutes for somebody to come. Of course nobody did; and I couldn't rouse anybody else; he'd left the receiver off. But in four minutes I came to and grabbed a cab and got over to the Sparlings' to find I'd just gone half a minute before with Dorothy. I'd taken her alone in a cab for the Drake; they wanted to know what was the matter; why I'd come back? Where was Dorothy? I didn't wait to explain; I cut back to the Drake; but she didn't come; and I didn't come! I mean the other fellow that was me never showed up anywhere. Nobody