The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-04

roared. Az he stood there defantly
shorely saw CLEAN Of insanity in his
eye.
"Oh, very well. then, +" said Shorely,
continuing to read the story.
For moment Gibberts stood grasp
ing the poker by the middle; then he
flung 1t with olatter on the fender,
and sitting down gazed modify into
the fire without moving until Shorely
had turned the last page.
"Well." said Gibberts, arousing from
his reverie, "what do you think Of it?"
"It's good story, Gibberts. All
your stories are good" said the editor
carelessly.
Gibberts started to his feet and swore.
"Do you mean to say" he thunder
ed, THAT you see nothing in that story
different from any or any one else ev-
er wrote? Hang it, Shorely, you would
not know good story if you met 1t
coming up Fleet street. Can't you see
that story is written with mans
hearts blood9"
shorely stretched out his legs and
thrust his hands far down in his trou-
sers pockets.
at may have been written as you
say, although thought you called my
attention moment ago to its typewrit-
ten character.
Don't be fiippant, Shoreiy," said
Gibberts, relapsing again into melan-
choly "You didn't like the story then?
You didn't see anything unusual in it
purpose, force, passion, life, death,
nothing?'
''There is death enough at the end.
My objection is that there is too much
blood and thunder in it. Such a tragedy
could never happen. No man could go
to country house and slaughter every
one In it. It's absurd"
Gibberts sprang to his feet and began
to pace the room excitedly. Suddenly
he stopped before his friend, towering
over him. his long ulster making him
look taller than he really was.
ibid ever tell yon the tragedy Of
my life-how the property that would
have kept me from what has"-
"Of course you have, Gibberts Sit
down. You've told it to everybody-to
mo several times.
"How my cousin cheated me out Of
"Certainly-out Of land and the wo-
man you loved.
"Oh, I told you that, did II" said
Gibberts, apparently abashed at the
others familiarity with the circum-
stances. He sat down and rested his
head in his hands. There was long
silence between the two, which was
finally broken by Gibberts saying:
$50 you don't care about the story?"
ooh, don't say that. can see it is
the story of your own life with an i'm
aginary and sanguinary ending"
"Oh, you saw that, did your"
Eyes. How much do you want for
it,"
Fifty pounds"
"What?"
FIFTY pounds, I tell you Are you
deaf? And want the money now"
BLESS your innocent heart, I can buy
a longer story than that from the great
est author living for less than ESQ.
Gibberts, you're crazy"
Gibberts looked up inquiringly, as if
that thought had never occurred to him
before. He seemed rather taken with
the idea. 1t would explain many things
which had puzzled both himself and his
friends. He meditated upon the matter
for few moments, but ut last shook his
head.
"No, Shorely," he said. with sigh,
'I'm not insane, though goodness
knows / have had enough to drive me
mad. don't seem to have the luck Of
solue r-z4FF.SH haven't tho talent for
going crazy. But to return to the story.
You think ESQ too much. 1t will make
the fortune of the paper that publishes
1t. How? Let me see. had it mo-
ment ago, but the point has escaped my
memory. What WAS it yen objected to
us unnatural?'
''The tragedy. There is too much.
wholesale murder at the end"
"Ah, now l recollect! Now I have
it."
Gibberts began energetically to pace
the room again, shifting his hands to-
gether. His face was in glow of ex-
element.
Eyes, I have it now-the tragedy.
Granting murder like that-one man
q dead shot, killing a country house
full. Imagine it actually taking place.
Wouldn't all England ring with it,"
Naturally
"Of course it would. Now you listen
to me. am going to commit that SO
called crime. One week after you pub
fish the story I'm going down to that
county house, Channor Chase. 1t is
my house, if there were justice and
right in England, and I'm going to
slaughter every person in it. I will
leave letter saying the story in The
Sponge is the true story of what led to
the tragedy. Your paper in week will
be the most talked Of journal in Eng
land--in the world. It will leap in
simultaneously into circulation such as
no weekly on earth ever before attained.
Look here, Shorely, that story is worth
ESQ, 900 rather than $50, and if you
don't buy it some one else will. What
do you sayr"
II say you are joking, or else-asI
said just now-you are as mad as q
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 OIL you"
"You can't doit. Until such crime
is committed no one would believe it
could DO committed. You have no wit
nesses to our conversation here, and I
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 l came in,
you were wondering what you could do
IN mt Tho Sf,On on ifc faot cotxy ~