El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-19

-O-O
"a gentleman-a Mr.. Portman-to
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.
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 a slight stoop-and, fixing
pair of dreamy dark eyes upon me, he
inquired in a low, earnest tone:
"Mr. Cecil Lawrence, 1 believer?
Eyes Be seated moment will
your 1 replied, indicating a 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 1 do for you, MINI.
Portman?'' 1 asked presently putting
down my pen and turning round upon
my visitor.
"You are Mr.. Cecil Lawrence, the
author, are you not?' he returned.
yes"
"The author of "A Romance In Blue
Dyer"
Eyes"
do you mind telling me how you
came by the plot for that story?' he
said, his dreamy eyes lighting up for
an instant
''Tm afraid l cannot give you any in
formation upon that matter" replied
Authors do not generally communi-
cate their methods of work and thought
ctr nd &c OF
so much occupied that unless you real
ly have some important business with
me 1 really
81 have important business with
your he exclaimed almost angrily.
do you fancy that 1 have come down
all the way from Lancashire to ask a
mere slip of an author his methods Of
work."
prise. Indeed, no; no sane man would.
But please state your business"
''WiH you answer my question" he
cried, rising impatiently and folding
his hands behind his back. GLOW did
you come by the facts in your storyr
"Since you attach such undue i'm
portance to the matter" replied cold
ly, 81 can only say that 1 owe some of
the plot of my Romance In Blue Dye
to newspaper paragraph 1 CHANGED
upon some 10 months ago"
Can you show me this paragraph"
Really, unless you can tell me in
what way this matter is of SO much
importance to you, L. fear 1 must de-
cline to continue this interview, for, as
have already told you, 1 am exceed |
ingly busy"
He looked at me steadily for a mo-
ment in silence and the light came in |
to his eyes again.
MY name is Portman-John Port |
man of Portman Sc Stayle, dyers and
cleaners, Rochdale," he said in a pecul- |
lar tone l could not understand. DO |
you understands
mo. 1 may be very Dense but 1 |
don't understand in what way the
statement of your identity proves the
Importance of your visit" I responded,
becoming annoyed with him, 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"
1 started-not at the fellows insult,
|
dawning upon me. This man, then.
was the actual being whom L had Gre
ated, as l thought, in the person of
James Saxon, the murderer of his part
ner. l fully understood now how
greatly this man, whose actual exist
ence 1 had never suspected, must have
been annoyed by my book, for doubt
less persons who had read it and knew
fI,n IN, ;1s% |
partner had met his death
had commented upon the matter IN
to my visitor.
= "Do you understand me now?" my
visitor demanded, seeing 1 was not pre-
pared to say anything about his previ-
Gus speech.
iy smile. But if you have come here
with the intention of bullying me you
made an error in the address. My So
licitors, Messrs. Wright & Wright, Ely
place are the people to call upon"
He looked at me and frowned. Then
he crossed the room, locked the door
and put the key in his pocket.
= What the deuce do you meanY' l
cried, starting up Indignantly. "You
are presuming unpardonably. Replace
the key and unlock the doorw and l
went over to him as 1 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
q mailman?
"You are at the wrong end of it, you
know, so sit down and be civil"
I shrugged my shoulders and return
.I,n h kI,<an loua nj