New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-07-10
SHE WAS RIGHT.

y
instant before he had written "Finis''
to an article with dash of the pen
across the last sheet, and now the man
uscript lay ready for the post among
the debris of printers proofs, new nov
els 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 a 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 shrewd, gray eyes and the pessi-
mism 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 char
acteristics and understood the interest
his personality aroused
Presently servant brought him a
visiting card on salver THE lady
would be obliged if you would grant
her an interview, sir -
Lady Hilyard, muttered Everdene
reading the inscription. II 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 five 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.. Eyerdene bowed.
Pray take a seat, madam. -
''No,' she said. Il have come to
quarrel with you, and 1 don't sit down
i'll the houses Of my enemies -
Ito quarrel with me!' His eyebrows
went up The thought came to him that
his visitor was not in her right mind
Yes. Perhaps I had better explain
myself at once. I am the author Of
Fashion and Footlghts 80
Fashion and Footlights, 80 he re-
Elected aloud. Fashion and Foot
lights. Ha!'
Comprehension stole over his face,
and with it a slight amusement He
tished among a pile of volumes and
brought out three bound with an ele-
gance destined to win tho hearts of sub
urban circulating libraries
Here it is. [ reviewed it in The
Centurian, didn't I:'
NO. she said, you hanged and
quartered it -
Il am sorry! May ask how you
found out that 1 was the culprit:'
"Oh, by accident It's a long story
and unimportant since you don't deny
the imputation. Now, Mr. Everdene, 7
know it is very impertinent of me, a
stranger, to come to your private adj
dress and worry you. am doing very
unusual thing, I am afraid, and Mrs
Grundy would be Mortified But fools
rush in, you know, and widows are
privileged! You must have little pa
thence with me, because for the first
time her lips relaxed, and she smiled a
smile that was sweetness itself-'wel],
just because I'm a woman and you re a
gentleman! Acknowledge the truth now
on your honor. Don't you think you
were unnecessarily harsh to my poor lit
tie Literary etfort?''
"No,' he said bluntly. II always
give my true opinion Of things, and I
consider your book had many faults -
1t she had been man, he would have
said, Il thought it was excessively
bad, y with the brusqueness of convic-
ton, and probably declined to discuss
the matter. But to a lady it was impos-
sible to be rude. He regarded her alb
surdly unconventional presence with
tolerant kindness.
''Of course l admit that there are
faults, but upon one or two points in
your criticism cannot agree with you.
l should very much like to discuss them
with you. May I?''
Certainly His mouth was twitch-
ing under his heavy mustache but
don't you think, pending the verdict,
that you had better sit down: You will
be fatigued. If you'll permit me to
wheel this armchair nearer the fire for
you-so"
Having carefully arranged it SO that
she should face the light, he seated him
self opposite to her-the A B @ of diplo-
macy, but she did not appear to notice
it. She was drawing arabesques on the
carpet with the point of her ivory ham
died umbrella.
II should very much like to know"
she said, "what you think of me for
coming here?''
II think you are plucky-yes, and
recklessly unconventional.
Candid, at any rate! And I like
that" She looked up. "Now for the
first Indictment on the list, Mr.. Ever
dene. You accuse me of improbability.
I deny it.
His manner bordered upon preoccupa-
ton. In truth, he was thinking what
wonderful lashes she had and how be-
coming a flush of excitement could be
to a clear, pale skin.
"You assert" she continued warm
~, THAT it is ridiculous to suppose that
man and a woman could fall in love
at first sight, as I make my hero and
heroine do, and that such proceedings
are limited to boys and girls in their