The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-01-19
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

was thirteen | knew a lot. Mother
used to talk to me about you. and
knew very we'll what she thought of
you. That's the reason she left all my
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 I'd 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 intelli-
gence without directly complimenting
myself"
''She told me 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 ii"
There's no getting around that rea-
SON There are no promises. no deduc-
tons, no conclusions. / call that fat
reasoning"
"And l call it my own individual
reasoning"
Rather it is woman's reasoning.
must discover some method of getting
1t out of you
''How are. you going to do it,"
'That would be telling"
"Oh. I'm to be hoodwinked into tell
ing you my secret"
$50 it is secret! Well. how many
know it,"
"Only l."
"Who would be most interested to
know tt?''
Don't you wish you knew" tmaking
a wry face.)
WAS. this object of your mother
solely for your benefit. comfort. pleas,
ure!''
She was looking for trap and con-.
sidered her reply before giving it..
well. that depends"
ION what?'' -
Whether it would give comfort or
pleasure to some one else"
= Now we are getting on
lis this q twenty question game?'
1T is my method of getting your Sc
cret''
"Oh. well. go onv'
"ls this other person masculine or
feminine:'
That's not fair. It's a direct ques-
ton. l decline to answer it,
You might as we'll have admitted
that the reply, If made. would be mas
culine''
How do you make that out?'
I'm not submitting to 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 by learn
ing his age. Is he old. middle aged
or yOung?"
Young
He started. There was a look Of
disappointment on his face.
II would divide a mans life into
three sections-young from his birth
to 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-fve.''
He drew breath of relief and went
on catechising. but took another tack.
Would this party
He isn't party; he's man."
would this man who would be in
terested in this secret be interested in
1t pecuniarily:"
no"
Again the man started and looked
disappointed.
''Then he could not be interested in
you. because you have fortune"
"Oh, l didn't mean that. He would
not love me for my
She stopped short and blushed.
The questioner was happy. He had
gained an important point. In fact
he had learned the whole secret. of
which he bad been reasonably sure at
the first. but had from two of her re-
plies received bad scare
II think" he said that I'll try tc
learn this secret on another occasion
Will you be at home this EVENING"
Il suppose So
well ri drop in about half pas,
8. You are so smart about it that
haven't much hope of worming the Sc
cret out Of you. but l can still try
you know"
eyes. you can try"
He called the same evening. but 1,
was she who learned his secret. mo-
he hers. When he left her they wer.
engaged.