Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-04-09
WOODBURY. N. J, THURSDAY April. 9, 1896

6entlal detail Of which IS actual truth,
and you coolly tell me that it was all
evolved ont Of your own brainl"
Certainly. So it was.
'Now, what is the use of talking
like that to me-to me? | am Rogers
Rogers is Gore. (call me BY which
name you like) am the man whose acts
are described i'll this story.
do you mean to sit there and tell
me that yon actually committed crime
identical with that have described"
Precisely. say the story is true in
every essential detail Every action of
the plot. every motive of the characters,
all the descriptions Of places, and even
portions Of the dialogue are absolutely
true say again | am Jasper Gore r.
Imagine my feelingsl Never before
in the history of fiction writing had so
remarkable a thing happened. Some oc-
cult power had clearly been at work on
my brain and directed me to write a
story founded on fact in a degree that
was simply marvellous The situation
was 80 extraordinary that it staggered
me. / was hero face to face with the
murderous rufiian Of my own creation.
What was to be done? I glanced at
the bell at his elbow.
Never mind the bell, 4" he said. "We
shall not want to use that. Listen to
mel"
He brought his chair toward me until
our knees We're nearly touching. With
his hands ON his thighs and his body
bent forward he fixed his penetrating
eyes on mine.
II have told you that l am Jasper
Gore. But that is only one Of the names
under which anthors have used me in
relating my exploits. You are not the
only writer who has employed my deeds
in fiction You have read Blandford' s
novel, The Red Witness:' Well, am
Paul Varnham, the man who poisoned
his brother and threw the body into the
limekiln. You have seen the story in
the last number Of Tie Masterpiece
Magazine called The Case Of Roland
Wier?' l am Roland, the man who stole
the bonds and stabbed TO the heart the
only witness to the deed. Why, the
stains of the crime are still on my
hands
shuddered visibly, and cold sweat
was on my forehead
Metaphorically speaking, Z he added
with a smile, II suppose you have
read
"stop" I cried. "What is it you
want Of me? why do you come to tell
me all this:'i
II came to make proposal | am a
man Of many deeds crimes, you would
call them. The world is getting too hot
for me. am i'll danger from the sleuth
hounds of the law. Shelter me; hide
me, and 1 will give you material for
some of the most thrilling stories that
ever We're written. I can keep you going
for the rest Of your life-with facts, sir,
facts
''The Rowner's Mill affair | don't
know how you got hold Of, but it was
not obtained fairly. But 1 will not say
anything about that Stand by me, and
Twill make your fortune and your ever
lasting fame. Is it a bargain?"
To accept such a proposal never en-
tered my mind for one moment. My
only thought was to get this dreadful
creature out Of my house, whether what
he said was true or not. How was to
do it?
Just then my servant knocked at the
door and entered
Here is a gentleman wishes to see
you, sir.
"Say you are engaged, /" said Rogers,
rising from his chair and grasping me by
the arm.
But the new arrival had already en-
tered the room.
Excuse me, sir, he said. Il have
come for our good friend, Mr.. Rogers.
He lives with us at x"
x knew to be the place where a
certain county lunatic asylum stands. I
saw everything in a fash. He handed
Rogers over to the care of another man
in the hall, and the poor fellow went as
meekly us a lamb. Then the attendant
came back to me.
Il hope he has not alarmed you, sir.
He escaped two days ago
''Well, he gave me an unpleasant half
hour. The man seems TO be stepped in
crime.
Hes all right except on that point
He faneies that he is every criminal that
he reads about in the story books. We
traced him to your house, and expect
he has been pitching lively yarn about
some of his doings. All! thought so.
But, bless your heart, sir, the poor fel-
low wouldn't hurt a fly ="
Nevertheless, he had knocked me off
my work for that day London Tit
Bits.