Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-05-30

| ulloSIaDis InaASAs h1Hs biNANtNo~ "a
all. to be told so by the man whose
| opinion she priced above that of all the
| world beside. 1t was shameful, The
poor girl covered her face and turned
away.
Mackenzie was touched to the depths
of his soul. Miss Amman" he cried
| Katharine don't do that. | cannot
| bear it. Oh, do you not understand why
l tell you this! To another l might
| possibly palter and avoid the painful
| truth, to you must be loyal and true at
whatever cost to lis both, because-I
love you. | have always loved you,
Katharine, and you were never SO dear
to me as now, when"
"Stop, Mr. Mackenzie. She uncov-
cred her pale face, and was mistress Of
herself in a moment. Il have been
foolish woman, and have had a foolish
dream. II is over now. 1t is not your
fault that yours was the hand which dis
PEELED it. | asked your advice, and you
gave it, bravely and manfully, l admit;
but spare me your pity: l do not need it.
| am not worth it.
"Pity." he echoed, astonished.
eyes; woman who can write as [
have done and imagine she was doing
well-for did think so-can inspire no
other feeling in the mind of an intel
lcctual man, unless it be contempt. All,
it was cruel Of me to say that" she
added, as she saw in his face the pain she
had inflicted. "Do not think that am
angry or offended with you; but it does
hurt, and would rather be alone now"
She extended her hand. Mackenzie
took it in both of his, and said, "For-
give me that l opened my heart to you at
this time. When [ would give my life
to save you from pain, it seemed cruel to
infict this suffering without telling you
how much your sorrow is my own. What
have said Of my feeling for you is tn"
very truth, and is no sudden discovery.
believe in you as much as ever. Do
not despair because Of one failure.
Everybody makes failures at some time.
The trouble with you is, you have made
a false start. If you will only try again
and let me help you little. 1 have
served Il long apprenticeship, and have
made many failures myself, so | know
the mechanical part Of my trade pretty
thoroughly. 1t is in that I think can
be of service to YOU"
She shook her head and smiled family:
''You are very good, but after have
burned this foolish thing would rather
YOU helped me to forget that l ever
wrote it"
Mackenzie pressed her hand gently;
for an instant the pressure was returned.
He felt that further words would avail
nothing now, and with one last sympa-
thetic look he turned and left her.
There was no further work possible !
for Mackenzie that day. He went down !
into the country and spent the afternoon
in solitude, gloomily meditating under !
a lcaden sky on the unlucky incidents of |
the past twenty four hours, until a driz-
ling rain drove him back to the city. |
A few minutes before six he climbed .
the stairs to the office of the publishing
house of Burgess & Co. .
The head Of the establishment called
10 him: Mr.. Mackenzie, read the .
Of very remarkable novel
asst night. | would like to have your
opinion of it as soon rs possible" !
Mackenzie felt a savage rush Of anger
IT the thought Of his being called upon
b" read the manuscript OF successful
euthor now. Very we'll, Mr.. Burgess.
What is it," he asked.
cit is called A Thing Enskyed, "a .
really wonderful story. There was no .
name on it, and | am anxious to know
who the author is. | found it on your
desk there yesterday, and, having a
spare hour or so, took it in my room .
to examine it, and became so absorbed .
in it that carried it home with me and .
finished it last night.
II suppose there is a letter some
where,' said Mackenzie, inditfercntly.
II shall examine it tonight. !
1T is bad tine for a struggling as
ptrant to fall into my hands," he said, .
as he seated himself two hours |
later and opened the package, just as he .
had opened Katharlne's package the .
night before.
For an hour ne shifted the pages, rap .
dlv at first, then more slowly as he dis !
covered he had before him work of UNI
common power and absorbing interest. /
suddenly he paused, passage in the .
book seemed strangely familiar; he had .
read that same thing before, in almost
the same words. This brilliant author /
was a plagiarise, then. Where had he .
seen it: No, he had heard the words .
by her, katharine. Now !
he remembered the occasion perfectly; !
they had been talking of friendship be- /
tween man ana woman, an idea of hers .
had struck him as clever and original, /
and when he said so she told him