Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-05-16
THE BOOKMAKER.

his chair with long sigh of relief. The
last chapter was completed, the book-the
novel that rs to make his fame-was fin
ished. 1t was the best thing he had done
He felt sure of it. His reputation, which
the last five years, would now be definite
ly, absolutely made
He got up and paced rapidly up and
down the ROOM The blood in his veins
tingled sharply. He experienced the deli
cious sensation of first triumph The door
opened quietly.
Dorothy
He stepped toward her and caught her
in his arms.
"It is finished, dear!"
sit is finished"
"Oh, am gladH'
sit is the best thing, dearest, l have
ever done. am sure of it. Dorothy
he drew her still nearer to him-''you
know what this means. If this book is
the success that / believe it will be, it is
not only fame but money for me. We
shall be able to get married sooner than
had thought-in the spring."
She did not speak, but he read in her
eyes that she was very happy, and he bent
his head little and kissed her.
"Geoffrey," said tho girl at last "you
have kept so secret about your book up
till now. You will not keep me in sus-
pense any longer9 You will let me read
it?" She caught up page as she spoke
from the table. "Cyprian What pref
ty name!' Her eye began to travel down
the page.
"But you can't read it now" protested
her lover. "You won't have time
"Just a little bit, then, Godfrey"
"Well, il you really want to"
She sat down at his table, the big sheets
of paper in her hand.
Arkwright watched her silently as SHE
read. How pretty she was, no thought
and how proud he was that she had con
sented to be his wife! Tonight, it seemet
to him, her delicate skin looked moro del
icate than ever Excitement at his nows
had brought faint color to her checks
her eyes sparklcd. The minutes passed
but still he watched hor in silence, won
dering what would be her verdict on his
work.
Suddenly, to his establishment, lie no
ticed tho flush on her cheeks deepen ant
spread over her white face her lips parted
little, frightened look came into hel
eyes. He was about to speak, to question
but something warned him not to, and hi
was dumb
The girl still read on. He noticed that
she turned over each fresh sheet more hur
riedly than before. AS her fingers graspet
tho paper they seemed to tremble.
At last, after having read, as far as hi
could judge, some 80 pages, she put the
pile of paper down.
"Wcll," he began hesitatingly, ''what
do you think of it? But of course yoi
have only read enough to give you the very
toughest idoa.'
II have read quite enough to under
stand ALL" Her tone was hard and cold
Godfrey wondered what was the matter
"You don't like it," he suggested.
'Liko it, 1t is horrible! Oh, Godfrey
how could you writo like that? 1t is moi
like your writing at ali. Oh, Godfrey
She rose from her seat and came ant
twined her arms round his neck. "Geof
frey, why did you do itS 1t is bad bool
"a book that will make people bad ant
drag them down, down. Oh, Godfrey
you mustnever let 1t be published! Yor
must destroy it,
"Destroy it-destroy the best thing
have over written? Dolly, you must b.
mad to suggest such a thing. 1t woul(
DO like plucking out my own heart Be
sides you don't understand. The only
bad book is tho book that is badly written
Art does not concern itself with the dis
tinctions of morality. They are beside thu
point-absurd Believe me little one, you
you do not, you cannot understand"
"No," she said tearfully, "you are right
I do not understand You am only al
ignorant girl, you see, and you are fa
cleverer than l. To mo book is bad i
it has bad influence, and your book
is horrible Godfrey, you say you low
me. If you love me, you will destroy thi
vile thing
"Tear 1t up" he murmured hoarsely
tear up that cannot. cannot. YOU
don't know what you arc asking. Destroy
that which has become part of myself
that which will, must, bring me fame
honor! 1t is impossible
"Honor, Godfrey? There is no honor tx
be got by writing book like that. 70,
cannot surely think 1t. Oh Godfrey
Godfrey, surely you will do what ask?'
II cannot, Nina. would do anything
in the world for you, believe me, any
thing-but that"
Silently sho untwined her arms from
his neck and turned from him.
"Goodby, then, Godfrey"
She stumbled toward tho door. But over
as her fingers touched it he had graspet
them tight In his own.
"What do you mean9" he cried "Yo,
cannot
81 mean, Godfrey -tears choked tn
words, and her voice sounded strangel.
distant-"I mean you must choose be
tween your book and me-"
Ho was silent, but his hand grasped her
a little tighter. His white face, his twitch
ing lips, the strange, almost fierce look il
his eyes, were cruel evidence Of tho desper
ate fight he was fighting against himself.
A coal fell from the fire to lie blazing il
the CRATE.
The sudden noise seemed to arouse hin
to consciousness. Staggering blindly tt
the table, he gathered the pile of manu-
script together, and, throwing 1t into tn
flames, which burst into renewed lif
around 1t, he stamped roughly on it til
only fantastic black mass remained, tn
funeral shroud Of "Cypria." Then, as i
exhausted by the effort, he sank back int
chair; covering his eyes with his hands.
Dorothy, with look Of infinite pity Oh
her tear stained face, bent lovingly owe
him and kissed him Exchange.
The Way to Learn.
The beggar had sign up, Deaf an
Dumb" and the passing philanthropis
stopped in front Of him.
"I'd like to give this man SOM ing,
he said to his companion, ''but how