The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-15

wish you to take this note TO Mr.. Con-
stable. The automobile is at the door.
and Peter win drive you there at once.
I send the note by you because 1t is
upon matter of unusual Importance"
am Mrs. Gonagle's secretary She
is wealthy woman and philanthro.
pist am unfortunate enough TO have
been born and reared In affiuence and
then forced to make my own living
confess l 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.. Constable's
house and admitted to q sumptuously
furnished room that was used for his
office. All knew about him was that
he was worth several millions. and like
Mrs Gonagle. u philanthropist, the two
occasionally working together In their
benefactions. A young man not more
than twenty-one was sitting behind u
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
answer?'
The young man looked at me, and /
could see in his eye that he admired
my appearance. But /. being a woman
of the world. knew how to appear I'M
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 reply addressed TO Mrs.
Gonagle. 1t was unsealed.
"Will you kindly mention TO Mrs
Gonagle," he said, that Mr.. Constable.
understanding that the bearer OF his
note Is her secretary. does not feel
warranted In sealing the reply? He
wishes Mrs. Gonagle to understand
this, for the subject matter is OF con.
siderable Importance. and the note. IL
carried by an ordinary messenger.
should be sealed"
Now. while l am to the manner born
and thoroughly understand the motives
that would induce Mr.. Constable to re-
frain from sending a sealed communl-
cation by me. | am nevertheless a
woman. The sense OF honor supposed
to exist in highborn dame. l claim.
Is as strong In me as In the rest Of my
class, but that does not necessarily i'm.
ply that l am devoid OF curiosity. At
any rate, what l did on this occasion
was to prove that l am gifted with
my full share of that feminine trait.
had not long been seated In the auto
when l took out Mr.. COnstable'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 unsealed. IL she reads II she has
not the high sense of honor and the deli
cacy l would require In a wife. And IL
she does read II shall know by the con-
seriousness she will display that she has
done so and shall be ready to have you
recommend another helpmeet trust sho
will not. for l am half In love with her
since this single meeting. Cordially and
thankfully yours,
DONALD CONSTABLE.
Heavens! What had ] lost? A mil
lionaire husband! 1t was plain that
Mr.. Constable. instead Of being q mid
die aged or an old man. was the young
fellow I had taken for his secretary.
And had spoiled it by my curiosity.
In another moment l resolved to
fight the matter to the bitter end. But
how? Ten minutes more would serve
to carry me to Mrs. Gonagle, and that
would be insufficient time for me to
form a plan. i had owned an auto
before the collapse of our family for
tunes and knew how to run one.
Peter" l said, ''let me take your
seat. wish to drive awhile"
Peter stopped the machine, and got
into his seat.
Are the tires in good order?" ask
ed.
"All but this front one 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. ut the last of which
there was n report. and the imperfect
tire was bursted.
II shall have to leave you. Peter"
said. "to get out of this trouble as
best you can. l am carrying an i'm.
portant message to Mrs. Gonagle
which must be delivered as soon as
possible"
Alighting. walked on. The ten
minutes that had been necessary for
me to get home was now extended to
nearly an hour. for had driven the
car as far as possible from n trolley
line. When l reached Mrs. Gonagle 1 |
pretended to be so full Of the break
down as to forget Mr.. Constabe's
note. talked "a blue streak" about
the former. not mentioning the latter. |
Finally Mrs. Gonagle spoke of my err
rnnd
IL saw no one." said. but an IN. |
derstrapper. who took the note to Mr.. |
Constable and brought me this one I'm !
reply. lie told me to say to you that.
though II was on n matter of great |