Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-09-24
TIE Plot THAT Failed
Showing How the Plan of a Novel
May Be Too Intricate.

We fellows had missed Dicks cheer
full face a good deal from the Levity
club of late, and the idea took possess
sion of us that he must be ill or in love.
As his especial friend I was commits
stoned to investigate. To this end I
called upon him at his chambers in the
Temple.
! knocked, but received mo reply, so
pushed open the door and entered.
1 expected to find the room empty;
but, to my surprise, right before me as
1 entered sat Dick Graham at a writ
ing table which was strewn with man
uScripts and odd scraps of paper.
~Dick, old chap said L, stepping
forward to his desk and laying my
hand upon his shoulder, whats up?
Turned deaf all of a -sudden?"
Good heavensr' he cried. IL
you gave me a fright, Harold. didn't
know any one was in the ROOM
Il beg your pardon" I replied. "But
I knocked several times, and as I re-
ceived no invitation to come in I en-
tered
1.-The fact is he began apoiogetical-
Iyy Wllu d dC HIS Q0Sk.
Eyes, yes" L interrupted, 81 see
your COMPOUNDED old yarns. Well,
you've simply got to turn them up for
a spell. Now. come"
81 would" replied Dick, "were I en-
gagged upon any ordinary story, but
this one l am working at now is my
masterpiece"
"H'mr' l coughed slightly.
'RealIy," said Dick, I'm in earnest
this time. Look here, I've just cenceiv-
ed the idea for q plot which when
worked into a story will startle the
world with it's brilliancy. Just have a
Squint at the outline. Perhaps a sug-
gestion might help me-"
Eagerly he raked together about
doZeR scraps OF paper covered with dia-
grams and q sheet of paper closely
written upon.
my idea" he began, sis this: Two
fellows, named respectively Dick and
Harry, are in love with two girls, Lucy
and Mabel. Now, Dick loves Lucy,
while Harry's affections are conferred
upon Mabel. Very we'll. But there is
trouble. e., Mabel doesn't care
straw about Harry. Her fancy IS
Dick. And the object Of 'Lucy's tender
passion is Harry. D'you seeY'
YES" rather family.
E'Well,'' he continued, -fthere is to be
q masked bail in their town, and my
four characters will be present Dick
intends to go as a ChinamRn and Harry
as Mr.. Answers. Mabel is going as
Queen Mary and Lucy as 1Irs. Kruger.
By some means they all get to know
what the disguises of the others will
be. But at the last moment each
couple exchange their dresses, revers-
ing the characters. D'you seer"
IL think l grasp it," / muttered
between my set teeth.
well" continued Dick, 1.-THE con-
sequence is that Harry, who was going
as Mr.. Answers, but who has really
gone as a Chinanan, proposes to Lucy,
who is made up as Queen Mary. taking
her to be Mabel, who as a matter Of
fact is masquerading as Mrs. Kruger"
A cold sweat was beginning ts break
out all over me, and l believe must
have worn that same kind Of saunted
expression which was now increasing
on poor Dicks face. He had gathered
two or three scraps Of paper, and was
illustrating the idea" to me by means
of rough sketches OF the characters,
from one to the other OF whom he drew
arrows to point his meaning.
go on" said desperately.
"You see," he said, in compliance,
there is an arrow pointing from Dick
to Lucy, showing he loves her; here is
another from Lucy to Harry, showing
she loves Harry" 1 fairly trembled
h IS hoi
a rigid perpendicular. ''Then here is a
curved line from Harry to Lucy in the
diagram, showing them at the ball,
which points to the fact
Heavens, manp' broke out, ''drop
it, or I'll go madv'
''Do have little patience!" he cried
exeitedly. Its getting quite simple,
I assure you. There are only a few
points to clear up, and it'll be as simple
rs A B c."
He dipped bis pen in the ink, and
drew another diagram representing
the four characters.
''You see by this" he said, pointing
to 1t, "that Dick, who ought to be a
Chinaman. is really Mr.. Answers;
while the s,rl he-that is, her-and
Harry has changed his disguise from
Mr.. Answers to a Chinaman. Well,
Dick loves Lucy-Queen Mary, really
but he takes Mrs. Kruger to be she.
See, IT.
Pardon me, Dick, old fellow" I in
terrupted. cit may be that i am very
dense. but I must confess that can't
follow you"
THAT'S because you're a fool" he
snapped. This Is the grandest, most