Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-08-18

no desire to put you 10 the lnconvenl-
ence Of repeating your action of this
evening We are taking it for granted
that YOU have a friend prepared to act
for you; for your conduct appeared to
be premeditsted. -
"You are quite right answered
Streeter; 81 have couple of friends
to whom 1 shall be pleased to intro
duce YOU. Come this way, ii you will
be so kind.
The preliminaries were speedily az
ranged and the NEE ting was to take
place next morning at daylight, with
pistols.
Now that everything was settled, the
prospect did not look quite so pleasant
to Streeter as it had done when he left
London. Dawson had asked for no
explanation; but that, Of course,
could be accounted for, because this
critical sneak must be we'll aware Of
the reason of the insult. Still, Streeter
had rather expected that he would
perhaps have pretended ignorance, and
on receiving enlightenment might have
avoided meeting by npologizing.
Anyhow, Streeter resolved to make
night of it. He left his friends to
arrange for a carriage, and see to all
that was necessary, while he donned
his war-paint and departed for gath
ering to which he had been invited,
and where he was to meet many of his
countrymen and countrywomen IN a
fashionable part Of Paris.
His hostess appeared to be over
joyed to see him.
'You are so late, she sail, "that l
was afraid that something had occurred
that would keep you frooA coming alto
gether' -
Nothing could have prevented me
from coming. said Streeter, gallantly,
"where Mrs. Woodford 1as hostess.
"Oh, that Is very nlcJ of you. Mr..
Streeter :" answered the lady; "but l
must not stand here talking with you,
for ! have promised to Introduce yor
to Miss Neville, who wishes very much
to meet YOU. She is great admirer
of yours and has read all your books.
There are not very msny of them,
said Streeter, with u laugh; "and,
such as they are, I hope Miss Neville
thinks more Of them than l do my
self.
4Ob. we all know how modest su-
thors are" replied his hostess, lead
ing him away to be introduced.
Miss Neville was young and pretty !;
and she was evidently pleased to meet
the rising young author.
Il have long wanted to see you,
she said, ito have talk with you
about your books
"You are very kind, said Streeter.
but perhaps we might choose some
thing more profitable to talk about?'
Il am not SO sure of that. Perhaps
YOU have been accustomed 70 hear only
the nice things people say about You.
That is the misfortune of many
authors
1T Is misfortune" said Streeter.
What a writer needs is somebody to
tell him the truth.
"Ah.' said Miss Neville, "that is
another thing l am not so sure about.
Mrs. Woodford has told YOU, l sup
pose. that 1 have read all your books
Did she add that detested them?"
"On the contrary, Mrs. Woodford
led me to believe that you had liked
them.
The girl leaned back in her chair
and looked at him with half-closed
ewes.
"Of course, she said, ",drs. Wood
ford does not know. 1t ID not likely
that would tell her / detested your
books while I asked for an introduc-
tion to you. She took it for granted
that [ meant to say pleasant things to
YOU. whereas had made up my mind
TO do the exact reverse. No one would
be more shocked than Mrs Woodford
unless, perhaps, it is yourself-ii
she knew was going to speak frankly
with YOU.
81 am not shocked, said the young
man, seriously; Il recognize that
there are many things in my books
which are blemishes
"Of course you don't mean that,
SAID the frank young woman; "be'
cause if you did You would not repeat
the faults in book after book.
"A man can but do his best, said
Streeter, getting annoyed in spite o.
himself, for no man takes kindly to the
candid friend. "A man can but do his
best as Hubert said whose grandsirC
drew long bow at Hastings
eyes, returned Miss Neville, "a
man can but do his best, although we
should remember that the man who
said thet said it just before he was de
feated. What J feel is that you are
not doing your best, and that you will
not do your best until some objection
able person like myself has a serious
talk with you.
HReoin the serious talk" said