Part 31 (2/2)

”I cannot. My duty is to my employer.”

”Oh, do!”

”No, no. Duty is duty, and paramount with me. Besides, I have a bet on him to win.”

The stricken girl uttered a faint moan, and tottered away.

I was in our suite shortly after dinner that night, going over some of the notes I had made that day, when the telephone rang. Jopp was out at the time, taking a short stroll with his after-dinner cigar. I unhooked the receiver, and a female voice spoke.

”Is that Mr. Jopp?”

”Mr. Jopp's secretary speaking. Mr. Jopp is out.”

”Oh, it's nothing important. Will you say that Mrs. Luella Mainprice Jopp called up to wish him luck? I shall be on the course tomorrow to see him win the final.”

I returned to my notes. Soon afterwards the telephone rang again.

”Vincent, dear?”

”Mr. Jopp's secretary speaking.”

”Oh, will you say that Mrs. Jane Jukes Jopp called up to wish him luck?

I shall be there tomorrow to see him play.”

I resumed my work. I had hardly started when the telephone rang for the third time.

”Mr. Jopp?”

”Mr. Jopp's secretary speaking.”

”This is Mrs. Agnes Parsons Jopp. I just called up to wish him luck. I shall be looking on tomorrow.”

I s.h.i.+fted my work nearer to the telephone-table so as to be ready for the next call. I had heard that Vincent Jopp had only been married three times, but you never knew.

Presently Jopp came in.

”Anybody called up?” he asked.

”n.o.body on business. An a.s.sortment of your wives were on the wire wis.h.i.+ng you luck. They asked me to say that they will be on the course tomorrow.”

For a moment it seemed to me that the man's iron repose was shaken.

”Luella?” he asked.

”She was the first.”

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