The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-12-23
"CUTHBERT'S CRIME"

CUTHBERTS CRIME"
g TEHE editor Of the Covent Gar
den Magazine presents his
Il compliments to Mr.. Percy
King, and begs to return the accom-
panyng MS, which has already APP
peared In the columns of the Hyde
Park Miscellany. The editor would
further point out that 1t is a serious at
tempt at fraud to submit Ms. concur
rently to two publications.
Percy King, with his untasted break
fast before him, sat staring In amaze
ment at this totally unexpected and al
together unpleasant communication.
What could 1t mean2 lie had not sub
mltted his story Of "Cuthbert's Crime"
to any other magazine than the Covent
Garden, nor was there any apparent
possibility Of such a thing being done
by anyone else. And yet the editor
could not be mistaken. In any case,
there was that months Hyde Park
close to him, on the writing table, and
he could easily prove the editors state
ment. He picked 1t up, hastily turned
over the leaves and soon found what he
sought.
Yes. there 1t was: "Cuthberts Crime;
n Tale Of the City," by Percy King.
The young author sat down again, tug
ging viclously Mt his mustache-a sure
index to his present state of mind.
When pleased, Percy would slowly fon-
die and smooth this straw-colored APP
pendage; when thoughtful or concern
ed, he would twist its long, silky ends;
when enraged or excited, he would
strive to tear 1t out by the roots. per
cy's barometer" men had called 1t at
Oxford.
At last he seemed to have made up
his mind how to act, for he rose eud-
denly, upsettlng his poor little terrier,
who had taken her usual place at his
feet Polite yelped painfully, and her
master swore audlbly. Mrs. Gadd,"
he called, as he reached the little dingy
hall, I'm going out, and sha'n't be
back to lunch"
ANoHAAt etAAu AAAG NbAubAE AlAA1G MOlu-
an-Percy's friend, Lord, had summed
her up once as "voluble, valuable and
volume-able"-"but surely you amt
goln' bout without hany breakfast, an
sich n bitter cold mornin', tooT
"Confound the breakfast" growled
Percy, and Mrs. Gadd withdrew, in Of
Tended dignity-she was plymouth
sister ITO her own stuffy little sane
tum. Without further parley, Percy
swung into the Inverness cape, and,
regardless Of east wind and sleet, made
his way toward the temple In one Of
the little streets close by there was q
long-unpainted house, the door Of
which stood wide open, giving free ac-
cess to an unwashed hall Tudor
Chambers" was inscribed on the brass
door-plate; and "Wm. Lord, Solicitor"
was depicted in quite fresh paint over
set Of offices on the second floor, one
of which Percy now entered.
"Well, old man, and why so early?"
was its occupants CHEEKY greeting.
"Halloal barometer set stormy pas
Percy jerked at that tell tale mustache
"Sit down. o King Percy fill your
pipe, and unbosom your crime-laden
soul"
1--WE real worry enough, Lord Bill,
without any Of your Surrey drama
tags" responded Percy. sinking into
the Clients chair" and accepting from
his friends hands the Jar. well filed
with Latalda. He filled and lighted his
pipe, and then handed the editors note
to the youthful-looklng solicitor. what
do you think of that, Bin? A pleasant
pick-me-up?" he queried.
His host read It slowly through twice.
and then turned to Percy. "Imprimis. 1t
of course goes without saying that
your Majesty is incapable Of such a
dirty trick; and I know your methods
in business matters too well to imagine
that It has happened from inadvert-
ence. Somebody has obtained n copy
of your story, and has sent It in to the
Hyde Park. When did you write 'Cuth-
bert's Crime, and when did you send
Il In? Give me precise dates, If you
can old fellow"
U WY NAEM AAAo lfNNANA hAtAAI out Ullli
turned over the pages slowly. Il wrote
It ut Rhyl In September, It was typed
at Nine Citoyenne's on my return to
town in October, and was sent to the
Covent Garden just before Christmas.
I was In Spain, as you are aware, dur
ing six weeks, and all my manuscripts
were securely locked up during my alb
sence, and apparently untouched on my
return. The Garden accepted 1t Jan. o.
and the thing has appeared in the
March number of the Hyde. Now you
have It ALL"
Lord reflected for few moments. 1T
Is perfectly plain" he at length said,
"that access to the story could be OBJ
tained only at two times-when It was
typewrltten and when you were away.
Mrs. Gadd Is far too fierce a Cerberus
to allow any stranger to touch your
room, and her honesty is above re-
proach. We may say the latter Of Nine,