Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-08
TRAPPED BY A NOVEL.


see you. sir" said my landlady, looking
in at my door.
Show him up, Mrs. jennings" 1 re.
piled, without glancing up from my
manuscript.
S A few moments later Mr.. Portman,
an entire stranger to me, was ushered
into my room. He came forwards
man of lnrge build, some 40 years Of
age, with a slight stoop- fixing a
pair OF dreamy dark eyes upon me,
he inquired. in a low, earnest tone:
Mr.. Cecil Lawrence, believer
Yes. Be seated moment, will
you?v replied, indicating chair.
He accepted the offer silently, and
waited my leisure, his eyes fixed upon
the cracking logs in the crate, and
his chin resting upon his hands.
What can do for you, MINI.
Portman?. l asked, presently, putting
down my pen and turning round upon
my visitor.
You nre Mr.. Cecil Lawrence, the au-
thor, are You snot?' he returned.
Yes
The author of "A Romance in Blue
Dyer"
ssYes.'' $
DO you mind telling me how you
came by the plot for that story?n he
said, his dreamy eyes lighting up for
an FAINT.
I'm afraid cannot give you any In
formation upon that matter" replied.
Authors do not generally commune
cate their methods OF work and
thought to strangers, and my time is
at present SO much occupied that, un-
less you really have some important
business with mel really"
II have Important business with
you" he. exclaimed, almost angrily.
Do you fancy that have come down
oil the way from Lancashire to ask a
mere slip of an author his methods Of
work 2"
From Lancashire?" said, in sur
prise. Indeed no; no sane man would.
But please state your bnsiness.n
VIII you answer my question:" he
cried, rising impatiently and folding
his hands behind his back. How did
i you come by the facts in yonr story p
Since you attach such undue i'm
portance to the matter" replied cold.
", Y can only say that 1 owe some of
the plot of my Romance in Blue Dye
to a newspaper paragraph CHANGED
upon some eighteen months ago.
Can You show me this paragraph,
Really, unless you can tell me in
W t.
i Importance to you, fear must de-
cline to continue this interview, for,
as ! have already told you, am ex-
ceedfngly busy, Ii
He looked at me steadily for mo-
ment In silence, and the light came into
his eyes again.
MY name Is Portman-John Port
man, Of Portman & Stayle, dyers and
cleaners, Rochdale," he said, In pc
culiar tone l could not understand.
Do you understands"
NO. ! may be very dense, but /
don't understand in what way the
statement of your identity proves the
Importance of your visit" responded,
becoming annoyed with hiiSp his man
ners, and his tone.
You don't eh?, he blurted out.
Well, Stayle, my late partner, was
the man who was found in the vat Of
dye. You are picturesque liar, you
KNOW
started-not at the fellows insult,
but at the germ of an idea that was
dawning upon me. This man, then,
was the actual being whom had Gre
ated, as l thought, In the person Of
James Saxon, the murderer of his
partner. 1 fully understood now how
greatly this man, whose actual exist
ence l had never suspected, must have
been annoyed by my book; for, doubt
less, persons who had read it and
knew of the manner in which my WIS.,
itor's unfortunate pariner had met his
death had commented upon the matter
unpleasantly to my visitor.
do you understand me now?n my
visitor demanded, seeing was not
prepared to say anything about his
speech.
81 Yes, fear so" replied, with a
sickly smile. But. If you have come
here with the Intention of bullying me
You made an error in the address. My
solicitors, Messrs. Wright & Wright,
Ely Place, are the people to call upon. y
He looked Mt me and frowned. Then
he crossed the room, locked the door,
and put the key in his pocket.
what the deuce do you mean?" I
cried, starting up Indignantly. "You
are presuming unpardonably! Replace
the key and unlock the door!'' And !
went over to him as l spoke.
"Gently, gently, my good SIR he
said. Il am not nearly satisfied with
our chat yet. Look at this and sit
down quietly"
..This," which he held in my face,
was a revolver. Was at the mercy
of mailman
You are at the wrong end of 1t,
you know, SO sit down and be civil.''
shrugged my shoulders and return
ed to my chair, having the unpleasant
sensation that he was covering me
all the time.
When had seated myself, he came
and sat down at the other side Of my
table, laid his revolver in front of him,
and began to bite his nails. 1 waited
his pleasure silently, wondering what
could best do.
tits like this!" he said, SO suddenly
that he startled me out Of my thoughts.
II had partner. That partner gets
drowned at our works in. butt Of pur.
ple-not blue, mind you-dye. You see
the bare facts mentioned in the pa
pers this is what you sayD write q
story about 1t. You make me, John
Saxon Of your accursed book, murder
my partner, and you bring me to jus.
tice. eh?'
Eyes, that's it, replied, as easily
as could. Il offer you my sincerest
apologies for the unpleasantness II
must have caused you; but assure
yon. on my honor, never dreamed
that you really existed, or should moi
have used such plot"
URut Won must have knownl Ynu