The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-11-22
A PROSELYTE.

Aubrey Eyerdene looked out up Sack
vile street and yawned. Only an in
stant before he had written ''tinis" to an
article with n dash of the pen across the
last sheet, and now the Ms. Law ready
for the post among the debris of print
ers' proofs, new novels awaiting review,
etc, with which the writing table was
streWn.
One of the best known litterateurs in
London, and a brilliant conversational
ist-his tongue could be as scathing as
his pen, and it was said of him, with re-
gard to the latter weapon of warfare,
that in half dozen polished sentences
he could do more toward damning a
book than any two Of his compeers. A
big, loosely-made man, Mr.. Everdene,
with shrew grey eyes and the pessim-
ism of a modern. Studying his face as
he lounged by the window, his hands
in the pockets of his smoking jacket. one
could see that he had lively sense of
humor combined with his other charac-
teristics. and understood the interest
his personality aroused.
Presently a servant brought him a
visiting card on a salver.
"The lady would be obliged if you
would grant her an interview. sir"
Lady Hilyard," muttered Eyerdene,
reading the inscription. Il can't recall
the name. Bother the woman; what
does she want? However-ask her to
come up, Blake"
When she entered fair, elegant
woman Of perhaps tive-and-twenty, in
an irreproachable Partisan toilet, he
was still more convinced that he had
not the privilege of her acquaintance
Mr.. Aubrey Everdene?" she queried.
Mr.. Everdene bowed.
Pray take a seat madam"
No" she said. Il have come to quar-
rel with you, and l don't sit down in
the houses OF my enemies"
10 quarrel with mel" His eyebrows
went up. The thought came to him
that his visitor was not in her right
mind.
Yes. Perhaps l had better explain
myself at once. | am the author of
Fashion and Footlightsr"
Mr.. Eyerdene, standing perforce be
cause she would, pulled his mustache,
while the fair stranger tapped her No.
3 shoe on the carpet with impatience-
and looked pitchforks and daggers.
Fashion and Footlights, :" herelect-
ed aloud. Fashion and Footlights'
Hal"
Comprehension stole over his face.
and with it a slight amusement. He
fished among pile of volumes and
brought out three bound with an ele-
gance destined to win the hearts of
suburban circulating libraries.
Here it is. | reviewed it in the Ce1s-
ttyj0a, didn't II"
No, she said you hanged and quar-
tered it,"
"I am sorry! May I ask how you
found ont that | was the culprit?"
oh by accident It's long story,
and unimportant. since You don't deny
the imputation. Now, Mr.: Everdene, |
know it is very impudent of me,
stranger, to come to your private adj
dress and worry you. | am doing a
very unusual thing | am afraid, and
Mrs. Grundy would be Mortified. But
fools rush in you know, and widows
are privileged, You must have a little
patience with me, because" for the
first time her lips relaxed aud she
smiled smile that was sweetness itself
-" well. just because I'm woman and
you're gentleman, Acknowledge
the truth now, on your honor Don't
You think you were unnecessarily harsh
to my poor little literary effort?"
No" he said, bluntly. Il always
give my true opinion of things, and l
consider your book had many faults"
If she had been Il man he would have
said: Il thought it was excessively
had with the brusuueness of convic-