Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1895-07-31
SHE WAS RIGHT.

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 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 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.. Everdene bowed
"Pray take seat, madam" /"
"No," she said. II have come to
quarrel with you, and I don't sit down
In the houses Of my enemies. y
''To quarrel with me!' His eyebrows
went up. The thought came to him that
his visitor was not in her right mind.
eyes. Perhaps had better explain
myself at once. l am the author Of
Fashion and Footlights. -
Fashion and Footlights, he re-
flected aloud. "'Fashion and Foot
lights. Hal"
Comprehension stole over his face,
and with it slight amusement. He
fished among q pile Of volumes and
brought out three bound with an ele-
gance destined to win the hearts Of sub
urban circulating libraries.
"Here it is. I reviewed it in The
Centurian, didn't II"
"No," she said, "y0 hanged and
quartered it'll"
IT am sorry! May ask how you
found out that I was the culprit?''
"Oh, by accidentl It's long story
and unimportant, since you don't deny
the imputation. Now, Mr.. Everdene, I
know it is very impertinent of me, a
stranger, to come to your private ad-
dress and worry you. I am doing very
unusual thing, ! am afraid, and Mrs.
Grundy would be Mortified. But fools
rush in,' ysu know, and widows are
privileged! You must have little pa
tience with me, because" the first
time her lips relaxed, and 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 lit
tie literary effort?"
"No," he said bluntly. ~ always
give my true opinion of things, and I
consider your book had many faults.
If she had been man, he would have
said, II thought it was excessively
bad, " with the brusqueness Of convic-
tion, 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 a
tolerant kindliness.
"Of course I admit that there are
faults, but upon one or two points in
your criticism / cannot agree with you
/ should very much like to discuss them
with you. May r."
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 9 Of diplo-
macy, but she did not appear to notice
1t. She was drawing arabesques on the
carpet with the point Of her ivory han,
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. I"
Candid, at any ratel And like
that. She looked up. "Now for the
first indictment on the list, Mr.. Ever
dene. You accuse me Of improbability.
/ deny it. =
His manner bordered upon preoccupa-
tion. In truth, he was thinking what
wonderful lashes she had and how be-
coming flush Of excitement could be
to clear, pale skin.
"You assert" she continued warm
", "that it is ridiculous to suppose that
man and woman could fall in love
at first sight, as make my hero and
heroine do, and that such proceedings
are limited to boys and girls in their
teens and the pages Of penny fiction. I
should have thought that Mr.. Aubrey