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           Harshawlookedhimover,decidedthathemustweighatleasttwentypoundsmorethanhehadonarrival?andallofitappearedtobemuscle."Mike,doyouknowwhereDukeis?"

           "No,Jubal."

           Well,thatsettledit;theboydidn’tknowhowtolie–wait,holdit!JubalremindedhimselfofMike’scomputer-likehabitofansweringexactlythequestionasked?andMikehadnotknown,orhadnotappearedtoknow,wherethatpeskyboxwas,onceitwasgone."Mike,whendidyouseehimlast?"

           "IsawDukegoupstairswhenJillandIcamedownstairs,thismorningwhentimetocookbreakfast."Mikeaddedproudly,"Ihelpedcooking."

           "ThatwasthelasttimeyousawDuke?"

           "IamnotseeDukesince,Jubal.Iproudlyburnedtoast."

           "I’llbetyoudid.You’llmakesomewomanafinehusbandyet,ifyouaren’tcareful."

           "Oh,Iburneditmostcarefully."

           "Jubal-"

           "Huh?Yes,Anne?"

           "Dukegrabbedanearlybreakfastandlitoutfortown.Ithoughtyouknew."

           "Well,"Jubaltemporized,"hedidsaysomethingaboutit.Ithoughtheintendedtoleaveafterlunchtoday.Nomatter,it’llkeep."Jubalrealizedsuddenlythatagreatloadhadbeenliftedfromhismind.NotthatDukemeantanythingtohim,otherthanasanefficienthandyman–no,ofcoursenot!Formanyyearshehadavoidedlettinganyhumanbeingbeimportanttohim–but,justthesame,hehadtoadmitthatitwouldhavetroubledhim.Alittle,anyhow.