Evening journal., 1899-09-16
Trapped by a Novel
GENTLEMAN--a MI. portma
! Ito see you, SIR said my Ia

Lady, looking IN at my door.
"Show him up, Mrs. Jennings" re-
piled, without glancing up from my
manuscript
A few moments later Mr.. Portman,
an entire stranger TO me, was ushered
into my room. he came forward-a
man Of large build, some 40 years Of
age, with slight stoop- -and, fixing q
pair OF dreamy, dark eyes upon me, he
inquired, in low, earnest tone:
"Mr. Cecil Lawrence, believer"
"Yes. BE seated a moment, will
you?" l 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, Mr.-Mr.
Portman?" / asked, presently, putting
down my pen and turning round upon
my visitor.
"You are Mr.. CecA Lawrence, the
author, are you not?" he returned.
Yes"
~The author Of "A Romance in Blue
Dye'?"
ayes"
"Do you mind telling me how you
came by the plot for that story?' he
said, his dreamy eyes lighting up for
an instant.
"I'm afraid ] cannot give you any in
formation upon that matter" / replied.
Authors do not generally communi-
cate their methods OF work and thought
TO strangers, and my time is at present
so much occupied that, unless you real
ly have some important business with
me, 1 really"
u have important business with
youi" he exclaimed, almost angrily.
DO you fancy that have come down
all the way from Lancashire to ask a
mere slip of an author his methods of
work?"
From Lancashire?' I said, in sur
prise. Indeed, no; no sane man would.
But please state your business"
"Nill you answer my question: he
cried, rising impatiently and folding
his hands behind his back How did
you come by the facts in your story?
"Since you attach such undue inn
portance 10 the natter" I replied cold
ly, 81 can only say that I owe some OF
the plot of my Romance in Blue Dye
10 o newspaper paragraph / chanced
upon some rs months ago.
"Can you show me this paragraph 2
Really, unless you can tell me in
what way this matter is of so much
Importance to you, fear 1 must de
cline to continue this interview, for
as have already told you, am exceed
ingly busy"
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 an'
Cleaners, Rochdale," he said, in pc
culiar tone 1 could not understand
do you understands
''No. l may be very dense, but
don't understand in what way tn
statement of yoHr identity proves th
Importance of your visit" responded
becoming annoyed with him, his man
ners and his tone.
''You don't, eh?" he blurted out
"Well, stayle, my late partner, was tn
man who was found in the vat Of dye
You are picturesque liar, you know!
1 started-not at the fellows insult
but at the germ of an idea that wa
dawning upon me. This man, ther
was the actual being whom | had ere
ated, as 1 thought, in the person O
James Saxon, the murderer of his par
ner. fully understood now HOY
greatly this man, whose actual exist
ence l had never suspected, must hav
been annoyed by my book; for, doubi
less, persons who had read it and kne'
of the manner in which my visitor
unfortunate partner had met his deaf
had commented upon the matter NJ
pleasantly to my visitor.
do you understand me nov?" m
visitor demanded, seeing / was not PR
pared to say anything about his pr
vious speech
eyes, / fear So" ! replied, with
sickly smile. ''But, if you have CON
here with the intention Of bullying mi
you made an error. in the address. N
solicitors, Messrs. Wright & Nrigh
Ely Place, are the people to call upon
He looked at me and frowned. The
he crossed the room, locked the doc
B. and put the key in his pocket
'What the deuce do you meanY
cried. starting up Indignantly. "No
are presuming unpardonablyl ReplaC
the key and unlock the door!" And
p went over to him as I spoke.
~Gently, gently, my good SIR !
said. a am not nearly satisfied wit
our chat yet. Look at this, and S
down quietly"
"This," which he held in my fac
was a revolver. Was ! at the mercy
a madman?
"You are at the wrong end OF II, yG
b. know, so sit down and be civil
/ Ishrugged my shoulders and retnrn'
- TO my chair, having the unp.easai
e sensation that he was covering" Il
/ all the time.
e When / had seated myself he can
j. and sat down at the other side of Il
I table. laid his revolver in front Of hin