Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-31

you must not jump to hasty conclu-
sion. the matter is too complicated t.
be disposed OF so simply You di re
gard my heroine. Imust remem Der her .
rights"
"But if they clash with those of
Mary
'It is Just that the one at fault should .
bear the suffering. And my heroine
was certainly not blamable in this case"
"Was Maryg
'She took possession of plot which
didn't belong to her"
"But unconsciously, and therefore in
nocently. Mark, don't you see? You
were to blame, and no one else, for not
guarding it more carefully"
Liddell made despairing gesture.
But / cannot take the consequences
upon myself Don't you see what will
follow | must condemn my helpless
characters to death. shall never finish
the book if | must surrender an integral
part of it."
"You must decide for them or for
John and Mary"
! Liddell walked restlessly to the limit
of the shadows in which they stood, and
then back.
my people are entirely dependent on
me-" he argued, "while John and Mary,
by very reason of their independent ex-
istence, will probably strike some other
paths which may lead them together"
"It is only a chance, and if they do it
will be what you repudiated moment
ago as patchwork.
Mark threw back his head defiantly,
and Maurice saw that he was approach
ing verge where, abandoning reason,
he would take his stand on pure obstinacy
and refuse to listen to argument or per
suasion. He was at his wits end when
an idea struck him.
"Mark, was your story going to end
happilyY
Liddell started as though he had been
struck.
mo"
You had foredoomed your characters
to woe and desolation on the last pager"
ut was realistic story, as told you.
l did not dare to end it with the old
cOnVenGlOudl HdpplHoSS'
''Then why not let them die now in
pe&ce? They would not thank you for
prolonging their existence under such
conditions, and by yielding up their life
now they leave that happiness which
would have been but feeting phase of
their melancholy career as a permanent
possession to their unconscious benefci-
aries.
, Liddell stood for few moments in
silence. -...
II cannot deny that you are ris hit, s.
he said at last with sigh. "Well, so
be it" ......
: "You will never
"Hushl Say no more now"
They walked on in silence into the
ring of electric light that encircled the
t hotel, but at the foot of the steps Carne
t stopped again.
II shall not go in. Do you care tc
stay here longer?"
'No. The sooner get away now the
g better. There is nothing to stay for
t "Then come with me and we will
catch the nine-thirty train"
r "But you have just come"
e ''The truth is, don't want to see that
i Mary. At the lake we were simply lis
= tening to the recitation of a chapter
from your novel, but now that you have
= made the chapter over to her, our artistic
privilege would become personal i'm
pertinence if we should ever come t
know her. Mary in the abstract is
: different being from Mary in the con
crete"
p "True. l will go to my room an
gather up my papers, and then settle m
t bill at once Will you come up?"
"No, shall wait for you hereF
I "T will be ready in five minutes"
,. Carne lit cigar and paced back an
n forth in the edge of the shadows Will
d he waited. Presently two figures gre,
out of the darkness of the lakeward pat
l. and an anxious voice called from th
steps:
g ''Is that you, Mary2 How long yo
W have been on the lake? Did you hav
ID your shawl?"
le "Oh, it wasn't bit chilly; 1t wa
Is lovely" answered the voice he remem
u hered, with tender throb in it that di
j. not belong to the spoken words. earn
sharply turned his head until the heroin
el had passed. A few minutes later Lie
dell Joined him and they walked rapid
ce away.
le 'Let us take boat instead OF wall
ly ing around, said Liddell gravely.
lie must bury this in the lake"
a. Maurice saw that he had o roll {
ne manuscript in his hand, and with del
n cate intuition he forebore to break in O
bit his friends pensive musings till the
reached the shore and pushed out int
the rippling moonlight
at was about here they were, don
you thinkP' Liddell asked after q fe'
moments.
Z Carne nodded, and Mark, uncoverin
his head, let the white roll slip into tx
waiting waters. 1t sank, with wave
: ing, sidelong motion, till it was lost
sight.
"By the way" said Carne a. the viii
tie of the approaching train from Il
hills called them back to world whel
facts rule instead Of ideas, "whers W;
the originality you claimed in that re
onciliation2 How did you identify itF'
"Why, don't you seea It is she WI
apologized."
"Hem."
"Generally we make the hero do
you know"
ITO "You do, yes. Butt
And she was in the right, moreove
nd Do you think that any one ever thougl
he before of making the heroine sue f,