Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-04-26
UnSealed
Notes
How They Were Carried by Girl
Between Two Philanthfopists
BY r. A. mitchell
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911.
BY r. A. mitchell

~
Lucy" said Mrs. Gonagle to me, II
wish you to take this note to Mr.. Con-
stable. The automobile Is at the door,
and Peter will drive you there at once.
send the note by you because 1t is
upon a matter of unusual Importance"
am Mrs. Gonagles secretary. She
is a wealthy woman and q philanthro.
pist. | am unfortunate enough to have
been born and reared in affiuence and
then forced to make my own living.
l confess | do not take to the work
kindly. Mrs. Gonagle is very good to
me, telling me that should marry a
man able to take care of me in style,
to which reply that fate has deprived
me of an opportunity to meet such a
man.
was driven to Mr.. Constables
house and admitted to a sumptuously
furnished room that was used for his
office All knew about him was that
he was worth several millions, and like
Mrs Gonagle, philanthropist, the two
occasionally working together in their
benefactions. young man not more
than twenty-one was sitting behind
rosewood desk writing. advanced to-
ward him with the note and said:
"Will you please give this to Mr..
Constable and say that Mrs. Gonagle
would be Obliged for an immediate
answerT'
The young man looked at me, and
my appearance. But ], being a woman
of the world, knew how to appear un.
conscious of his appreciation. Then he
glanced at the address on the note and.
inviting me to be seated, left the room.
After short absence he returned and
handed me a reply addressed to Mrs
Gonagle 1t was unsealed.
win you kindly mention to Mrs.
Gonagle," he said, "that Mr.. Constable,
understanding that the bearer of his
note ia her secretary. does not feel
warranted In sealing the replyf He
wishes Mrs. Gonagle to understand
this, for the subject matter is Of con.
siderable importance, and the note, II
carried by an ordinary messenger
should be sealed"
Now. while | am to the manner born
and thoroughly understand the motives
that would induce Mr. Constable to re-
frain from sending Il sealed communi-
cation by me. ! am nevertheless
woman. The sense of honor supposed
TO exist In highborn dame, claim.
is az strong in me as In the rest of my
class, but that does not necessarily i'm
ply that I am devoid of curiosity At
any rate, what did on this occasion
was to prove that | am gifted with
my full share of that feminine trait |
had not long been scented In the auto
when l took out Mr., C0nstable's note
and read II.
Great was my establishment. This
was what ! found in IT.:
Dear Mrs. Gonagle-I am delighted with
your secretary. | am sending this reply
by her unseaied II she reads II she has
not the high sense Of honor and the deli
cacy I would require In wife And II
she does rend II shall know by the con
seriousness she will display that she has
done so and shall BIO ready to have you
recommend another helpmeet. | trust she
will not, for / am half In love with her
since this single meeting Cordially and
DONALD CONSTABLE
Heavens! What had lost7 A mil
lionaire husband It was plain that
Mr. Constable, instead Of being n mid
die aged or an old man, was the young
fellow | had taken for his secretary.
And had spoiled 1t by my curiosity.
In another moment l resolved to
fight the matter to the bitter end. But
how2 Ten minutes more would serve
to carry me to Mrs. Gonagle, and that
would be insufficient time for me to
form a plan. had owned an auto
before the collapse Of our family for
tunes and knew how to run one.
Peter" ! said, '1et mo take your
seat. wish to drive awhile"
Peter stopped the machine. and l got
into his seat.
Are the tires in good orderT ask
ed
"All but this front ono on the left.
I've got new one I'm going to put
on there"
determined to obtain delay by
bursting that tire. Turning into a
street in which knew the pavement
to be badly broken, drove vigorously
over several holes, at the last Of which
there was n report. and the imperfect
tire was bursted.
II shall have to leave you. Peter" l
said. ITO get out Of this trouble as
best you can. am carrying an i'm
portant message to Mrs. Gonaglo
which must be delivered as soon as
possible"
Alighting, l walked on. The ten
minutes that had been necessary for
me to get home was now extended TO
nearly an hour. for I had driven the
car as far as possible from q trolley
limo. When I reached Mrs. Gonagle /
pretended to DO so full of tho break.
down as TO forget Mr.. Constable's
note. talked "a blue streak" about
the former. not mentioning the latter
Finally Mrs. Gonagle spoke Of my or.
rand.
81 saw no one" said. but an un.
deratrapper who took the note TO Mr.
Constable and brought me this one in
reply. He old mo TO say TO you that.
though II was on matter OF great
importance. he did not seal II, since
H. L.. A -