The Argosy, March 1907 — page 88: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

660 innocent young thing doesn’t dream the deceitful scoundrel is married. When she finds that she’s been to the theater and to supper with a married man she’ll be broken-hearted.’ “My first thought was to send an anonymous telegram to the wife in Mount Vernon telling her that if she paid a visit to the Casino that night she would learn the exact nature of the important engagement which detained her unfaithful husband down-town. “That would have been a fine way of getting square; but on second thoughts I decided not to do it. I knew that women, being unreasonable creatures, al- ways blamed the “woman in the case rather than the man, and [ had an idea that if the angry wife did show up at the Casino that night her first act would be to scratch out the eyes of that innocent girl. “Of course, I told myself, the poor girl was not to blame. She didn’t dream that her employer was married—other- wise she never would have called him by his first name or allowed him to call her ‘ Gertrude.’ “T made up my mind that I would wait until the next day and then break the news to the poor thing. ‘“ Probably she would faint in my car, but at all events she would be nice to me again and would not have anything to do with her wretch of an employer. “In her disappointment and humilia- tion she would probably be glad to listen to a proposal of marriage from me. “Everything would be lovely once more. What a lucky thing it was that »l had seen that telegram ! “IT was in such good spirits again that when at six o’clock the bell rang on the seventh floor and I went up and brought down the lawyer and the girl I scarcely cared at all, even though I knew that they were going to the theater. “Let them go to the theater and to supper afterward,’ I thought. ‘ Let her enjoy herself to-night. To-merrow he shall be exposed and she’ll find out her mistake.’ ‘And the next morning at nine o’clock, when she comes down to work and steps into my car, I says to her: “*“Did you enjoy the show night?’ : last THE ARGOSY. ‘She colored furiously at the ques- tion and her big blue eyes stared at the floor of the car; but she replied: “* Yes, thank you, Jerry. I had a fine time.’ “Then I said to her very sternly: . “*Would you have had as good a time if you had known that ‘you were in the company of a married man?’ “At this she turned very pale and gasped: ‘What do you mean, Jerry? Mr. Dewar isn’t married.’ “ “Oh, isn’t he?’ says I triumphantly. ‘That’s all you know about it. He prob- ably has fooled you into thinking that he is a single man; but I happen to know that he has a wife and five chil!- dren living in Mount Vernon.’ ‘Of course the five children was guess- work on my part, but I thought I’d put them in so as to make the effect stronger. “And it worked.- She uttered a little scream and clutched the side of the car for support. ‘““* Are you sure?’ she gasped. ‘“* Positive,’ said I; and I stopped the ; car between two floors, so that we could have our little talk without interruption. “Of course,’ I said, ‘I don’t for a minute think that you knew your em- ployer was a gay deceiver, but now that you do know it, what are you going to do?’ e ““Do?’ says she indignantly. ‘I’m going to leave his employ at once. I wouldn’t think of staying in the office of such a wretch. Why, he actually had the audacity to propose marriage to me last night, and I accepted him. Oh, dear —oh, dear! mother will be so shocked when she hears of this. Thank you so much for telling me, Jerry. Take me up to the seventh floor at once, please. I’ll write him a note telling him that I have discovered his deceitfulness..’ “She came down again soon after- ward, looking so sorrowful that my heart ached for her. “ve done it,’ she said, with a sigh. ’ o ‘I’ve written him a note telling him that I know all. I am very grateful to you, Jerry, for having given me this warning.’ "* Not at all,’ I replied. ‘It was my duty. By the way, miss, I’ve had some- thing on my mind for some time I’d like to tell’ you about. I’ve got a few dol- lars saved up, an my job here is steady. Gomichbooks. co m é