Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-02-29
AN OPEN
SECRET
BY MARGARET c. QUINBY
Copyright by American Pr esq Asso-
citation. 1871.

II am sorry, Helen, to have been
obliged to ask YOU TO come to the Of
flee to execute these papers, but you
and are not the only ones concerned.
However, | have got matters in such
shape that all can be attended to
right here"
THANK you, guardy."
"Now if you will sign here and here
and here There; the transfer has
been effected. and you are the posses
sor Of your property, to do with ii as
you like"
weren't you rather young for moth
or to put all my Inheritance in your
hands?"
II was only twenty seven. but | had
had my profession four years. and *
well, your mother was inclined to-
she was very fond of YOU
You don't know anything about
that You We're too young to notice her
partiaIity for me"
Girls of twelve to thirteen are
usually set down as not knowing any
thing. Don't You believe it. When
was thirteen | knew lot Mother
used to talk to me about you, and
knew very WeIl what she thought or
you That's the reason she left all M
property in your hands. She told me
all about that too. She said to me-
Helen, Jim is not only honest. but he's
smart. ia rather trust him to handle
your property after Pm gone than
many older men
"She was a mighty good woman,
your mother. After what you have
said | can't compliment her inteIli-
gence without directly cOmplimentng
myself"
"She told me Il great deal more. too
that is, when she made the will she
had an object in making you my guard
ian"
what object"
"That would be telling"
Ibid she forbid you to tell me?"
"NO"
''Then why don't you tell?"
Because I'm not going to do it,"
"There's no getting around that rea.
son There are no promises. no deduc-
tons. no conclusions l call that fiat
reasoning
"And | call it my own individual
reasoning"
"Ra'her it Is woman's reasoning. |
must discover some method of getting
II out of YOU
How are you going to do 1t? ?"
THAT would be telling"
ooh, I'm to be hoodwinked into tell.
ing you my secret"
$50 II is a secret! Well. how many
know IT."
"Only l."
"Who would be most interested to
know it,"
Don't you wish you knew?" Umaking
wry faceJ
WAS this object Of your mother
solely for your benefit comfort, pleas
ure?"
She was looking for trap and con.
sidercd her reply before giving it.
"Well. that depends"
"On WHAT"
"Whether it would give comfort or
pleasure to some one else"
Now we are getting on"
us this twenty question game"
cit IS my method of getting your Sc
cret"
"Oh. well, 90 on"
as this other person masculine or
feminine:"
That's not fair. It's direct ques-
ton. | decline to answer it."
You might as well have admitted
that the reply. if made. would be mas
culine."
'Ilow do YOU make that out?"
I'm not submitting to a process: it
Is YOU. Having learned that this other
person who would be interested in
your secret Is masculine. perhaps
can find out more about him 10y learn
or young"
Young"
He started There was look of
disappointment on his face
Il would divide mans life into
three sections young from his birth
tn thirty, middle aged from thirty to
fifty, old from then till death"
II wouldn't divide it that way. A
man Is young till forty-tive"
He drew Il breath of relief and went
on catcchising. but took another tack.
Would this party
HE isn't Il party; he's man"
Would this man who would be in
terested In this secret be interested in
1t pecuniarily?"
mo"
Again the man started and looked
disappointed
Then he could not be interested In
you, because YOU have n fortune"
"Oh, didn't mean that. He would
nor lOv.a mo for INV"