Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-22

DAVENPORT, TOWNSEND, vt. 81
don't buy it some one else will. What
DO you say?"
Il say you are joking, or else-as l
said just now-you are as mad as a
halter"
Admitting am mad, will you take
the story?"
'No, but I'll prevent your commit.
ting the crime"
"How?"
by giving you in charge. By in
forming on you.
"You can't do it. Until such a crime
is committed no one would believe it
could be committed. You have no wit
nesses to our conversation here, and
will deny every assertion you make.
Ny word at present is as good as yours.
All you can do is to ruin your own
chances of fortune, which knocks once
at every mans door. When 1 came in,
you were wondering what you could do
to put The Sponge on its feet. l saw it
in your attitude. Now what do you
say?"
I'm give you e25 for the story on
its own merits, though it is big price,
and you need not commit the crime"
"Donel That is the sum wanted,
but l knew if 1 asked it you would Of
fer me e12 los. Will you publish it
within month";"
eyes"
Very we'll, write out the check.
Don't cross it. Ihave no bank account. ;"
When the check was handed him,
Gibberts thrust it into the ticket pocket
of his ulster, turned abruptly and un-
locked the door.
"Goodby," he said.
AS he disappeared Shorely noticed
how long his ulster was and how it
tapped about his heels. The next time
he saw the novelist was under circum-
stances that could never be effaced from
his memory.
The Sponge was 16 page paper,
with a blue cover, and the week Glib
berts' story appeared it occupied the
first seven pages. AS Shorely ran it over
in the paper it impressed him more than
it had done in the manuscript. A story
always seems more convincing in type.
Shorely met several men at the club
who spoke highly of the story, and at
last he began to believe it was a good
one himself. johnson was particularly
enthusiastic, and every one in the club
knew Johnson's opinion was infallible
How did you come to get hold of
it?' he said to Shorely, with unneces-
sary emphasis on the personal pronoun.
Don't you think know good story
when l see it?" asked the editor indig-
nantly.
at isn't the general belief of the
club" replied johnson airily, "but
;hen all the members have sent you con-
iributions, so perhaps that accounts for
It. By the way, have you seen Gibberts
lately?"
"No, Why dc you ask?"
"Well, it strikes me he is acting
rather queerly lately. If you ask me, 1
don't think he is quite sane. He has
something on his mind"
"He told me, said the new member,
with some hesitation, "but really l
don't think I'm justified in mentioning
it, though he did not tell it in conf
dence, that he was the rightful heir to
a property in'-
"Oh, we all know that story" cried
the club unanimously.
81 think it's the club whisky" said
one of the Oldest members. ~ say it's
the worst in Iondon -
"Verbal complaints not received.
Write to the committee" put in John
son.
eff Gibberts had friend in the club,
which 1 doubt, that friend should look
after him. I believe he will commit
suicide yet.
These sayings troubled Shorely as he
walked back to his Office. He sat down
and wrote a letter asking Gibberts to
call. AS he was writing, McCabe, the
business manager of The Sponge, came
In.
whats the matter with the old
sheet this week." he asked.
"Matter? don't understand you"
~ have just sent an order to the
PAAhbSA W I'LL Oh al OAtAo 4OgOOOy anu
here comes in a demand from Smiths
for the whole blooming lot. The extra
10000 were to 60 to different news
agents who have sent repeat orders, so
| have told the printers now to run off
at least %, 900 and keep the plates on
the press. never read The Sponge my
Self, so 1 thought I would drop in and
ask you what the attraction is. This
rush is unnatural"
"Better read the paper and find out"
said Shorely, who had the usual edito-
rial contempt for the business manage
ment. Z
81 would if there were not so much
Df your stuff in it," retorted McCabe,
who had fixed belief that were it not
Tor the expensive and useless luxury of
an editor paper might pay.
Next day McCabe reported a beWil-