Page:Arthur Stringer - Twin Tales.djvu/172

162 "And the further knowledge that he never even intended to put it into print."

"No, putting things into print doesn't seem to be my business any more," interpolated the morose-eyed Lipsett.

"Then why" began Gunboat, but he was interrupted by the trill of the telephone bell. It was Teddie who finally crossed to the instrument and answered the call.

"It's for you, Mr. Dorgan," she said, without emotion, as she waited with the receiver in her hand.

"Oh, is that yuh, Ruby," Gunboat was murmuring a moment later, into the transmitter. He spoke in a strangely altered tone, a tone with even a touch of meekness in it. "All right, Ruby," he docilely agreed after several minutes of an obviously one-sided conversation. "Sure, Ruby, yuh're dead right." Then came the receiver's turn again, with an amending "Whatever yuh say, Ruby," gently intoned into the transmitter.

If Teddie garnered any inkling of that