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McCutcheon, George Barr, 1866-1928

"Mr. Bingle"

Hers
was not an uncommon case. There are thousands just like it happening
every year. It's the price we all pay, men and women. There's no use
being sentimental about a perfectly commonplace--I might even say
legitimate--transaction. Agnes Glenn was like the rest of her kind:
she had a very sharp pair of eyes open all of the time, you may be
quite sure of that. I will say this for her, poor little devil: she
was no blackmailer. She got down and out when the time came and she
never squealed. That's more than most of 'em do, Bingle. 'Pon my soul,
old man, I came here to see you this morning fairly trembling in my
boots. I had an idea it was going to be a hard, nasty business talking
it over with you, but--by George, it isn't. Now, we can get down to
rock-bottom, Bingle. My plan was to--"
"Just a minute, please," interrupted Mr. Bingle, quite steadily. "Did
you know that she was going to become a mother?"
"Certainly. You don't suppose I'd be looking for the child if I hadn't
known she was to be born, do you? I'd be a nice fool, hiring
detectives to unearth some other man's child, wouldn't I?"
"I must agree with you in one particular, Force; you are not finding
it as hard as you thought it would be.


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