Gilpin observer., 1918-01-10
Mrs. Simpson S
Boomerang
By ETHEL HOLMES


"Mollie," said Mrs. Simpson to her
friend Mrs. Mariweather, Are you con-
ddent that your husband is true to
you"
Perfectly" was the reply.
II wish I could feel the same about
mine. Don't you ever watch hlm2"
"Every night"
"Why, thought you said you trust
ed him."
II do not trust men generally in
such matters. While I trust Jack i'm
plicitly as an individual, as one of the
male sex, don't trust him at ALL"
"Why do you watch him ut night, es-
pecially?"
what mean by that Is go through
his pockets for love letters every night
after he is in bed"
II see; that's good scheme; will
avail myself Of the suggestion"
Mrs. Simpson did avail herself Of the
suggestion and at the end of a few
months was rewarded-if it may be so
considered-with find. In Mr.. Simp-
sons vest pocket was slip of paper
on which were the figures l, IL, 8, 4, z,
in lead pencil.
Now Mrs. Simpson had married in
opposition to her parents wishes and
they had resisted to many Devices
whereby to communicate in spite of be-
ing watched. Mrs. Simpson, then Miss
Molineaux, was very ingenious. She
gave Simpson an expedient to use
a yl,f IN, har hot II
not cause suspicion. He was to mail
her an advertising card on which had
been put in pencil certain figures de-
noting the month, the day, and the
hour. Thus if he wished to see her on
the seventh day of November, at three
O'Clock in the afternoon, the figures
would be II. z, 8. The place of meet
ing was always the same and need not
be designated on the card.
Mrs. Simpson had hardly seen the
figures on the slip she had found in
her husbands pocket when she in
ferred that her invention of several
years before had become boomerang.
She collapsed, but not for long. Be
fore many minutes had passed she had
made up her mind to interpret the mes
sage and surprise the guilty parties at
their meeting. Taking up the paper
she noticed that the first figure was 1.
January was the first month in the
year. 1t was now December. The
next figure was IL. might represent the
day of the meeting. 1t was now the
2Sth Of December. The figure 8 must
mean nine o'clock either in the morn
ing or evening. What and Z meant
she could not tell. Doubtless the guilty
pair had invented a way to designate
the place of meeting.
Mrs. Simpson was quite sure that
on the 18th of the next month, at nine
In the evening her husband would meet
her rival; but since she did not know
where, she could not confront them.
There was cold time between Mr..
and Mrs. Simpson from the 2Sth of
December to the 18TH Of January. Mr..
Simpson was at loss to account for
the reason, but disdajned to ask for it
more than once, when he obtained no
satisfaction.
1t was Mrs. Simpsons intention on
the evening Of the 18th of January to
hang on to her husband like a leech.
She would prevent his meeting her
rival, and would accuse him Of his per-
fidy.
One evening Mt diAner she asked him
If he remembered the device she had
given him whereby to notify her when
he wished her to meet him. He said
he remembered her ingenuity very we'll
and suggested that If ever she became
obliged to earn her own living she
should apply for position in a detec-
tive office.
II have often thought since then"
she said, "how we could add to the de-
vice plan to indicate by figures, the
meeting place"
Whether Mr.. Simpson refused to be
caught In this trap his wife set for him
to give her clue to the last two fig
ures Of the cipher message, or wheth-
er he did not know what she meant, he
did not appear to take any further in
terest In the matter and made no re-
ply.
On the evening of the 10Th Of Janu-
airy Mr.. Simpson about eight o'clock
told his wife that he had an engage
ment with his partner to talk over q
business program for the year. Mrs.
Simpson stood like statue, listened
to what he said, then handed him the
slip Of paper saying:
81 see that you have used my inge-
nuity to communicate with your new
flame, but in this case she seems to
have addressed YOU instend of your nd.
dressing her."
Simpson looked at the cipher then
at his wife.
IF you would like to meet her." he
said calmly. "you can do so by going
with me to the Office"
Mrs. Simpson did not understand
this move, but she put on her hat and
Eenlskin md went with har husha nd