The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-01-30

pect, your intentions, and / beg to as
sure YOU that so far as | am concerned
the most absolute secrecy shall be
maintained. Please call as soon as you
find it convenient. 1t might be best
to drop in while Mr.. Dumleigh is It his
office. or on your way home from
matinee"
That's enough" cried Mr.. Dunn
leigh. "Any man who can put two and
two together knows what that means.
| need 90 no further. That is, no fur
Their than to my lawyers"
He flung himself into chair and
| gazed moodily at the ceiling.
'If that isn't woman's perfidy for
vou!" he moaned. Here have given
her the best years of my life and the
most constant, unwavering trust-and
this is the end. l wonder who this up
start of an Anderson is, anyway. I'll
fix him. I'll teach him to enter an
others home and destroy the peace
and happiness of a mans heart"
He looked again at the three letters.
They were in plain, neat envelopes that
gave no hint as to where they were
from, beyond the local postmark.
| Dumleigh shook his head sadly and
said:
"And even now she is on her way
home, thinking of her poor fool of
husband. who is so blind as not to see
what has been going on under his very
nose. Humph! She's going to find out
that Rufus Dumleigh is no longer
lamblike person who has worshiped
her with blind, implicit faith. But I'll
be shrewd about this. III let her go
just so far. and then I'll thunder forth
my denunciatiaons, and she shall see
what it means to bring lion to bay"
At that instant Mrs. Dumleigh ar
| rived at the house and came into the
hall, calling:
"Where are you, Rufus?"
"I'm here" he answered, SUI star
ing at the letters, forgetting all his
plans of shrewdness.
SO that was how Mrs. Dumleigh
found him when she reached herroom.
"What have you there, dear? Oh,
good gracious. have you found it out ?"
she asked, with a smile.
"Found it out? Yes, woman, | have
found it out" he roared. "And you
have the--the-the nerve to smile at
such a time as this!'
'What do you mean?'
"Mean?" continued Dumleigh, now
thoroughly aroused. "Mean? Why,
YOU and what-d'- you-call-'im-this per-
son-this Harold-this Anderson-you
have agreed on your designs, have
Won? And You will have no trouble in
adjusting matters, will you? And you
are going to preserve the most abso-
luto secrecy, are you? Oh. yes, you
are. And you think If would be fatal
to have me even suspect anything
about it, do you? Best to drop in while
am al my Office, is il? Huh
The last was 81 snort of rage.
Mrs. Dum,eigh was staring at him
with wide eyes. She exclaimed: "Why,
Rufus Dumleigh, have you lost your
senses?"
Lost my senses? Well, | should say
not. Best to complete arrangements
next Tuesday, Ell? Why? Because I
am ulled into pectingneSS by
that fake dinner you have been talk
ing about for my birthday on Wcdnes-
day. Oh, yes, | think have lost my
senses"
Here Mrs. Dumleigh began TO laugh.
She laughed until she cried She
screamed with laughter while poor
Dumleieh sat there, the picture of
open-mouthed amazemeat. Whep She
had sufficiently quietgd to speak, She
said:
"Rufe. you big goose, those letters
are from Mr.. Anderson, the silver
smith and refer to a chased silver
smoking set | was having him make
for your birthday present, and that
explains the secrecy Now aren't you
ashamed of yourself?"
| Rufus Dumleigh rose to the situa-
ton, put on a feeble smile took his
wife in his arms and said,
"Why, | was just joking YOU. knew
that it was something like that. but
wanted to have little fun That was
all. But next time you get me a press
ent, please arrange for it over the
telephone, If you must have commune
cations with the makers. ! don't like
these sudden shocks"