Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-09-08
'7HE LONG ARM. y

3
papers and cuttings, gazing thoughrfuily
( at the sheets Of manuscript which be had
/ taken from a pile before him.
Il can't undeFs' and it Ut all. he was
thinking. Except for the change Of
scene, and the matter Of turning a coils
ion into a ire-the two stories are prac-
/ tlcaily identical. At any rate. they re-
rather too similar for me 10 pass the
matter over. The extra chapter il orig
I mai enough, though, and really we'll
I written, In admit But what on earth
! possessed the fellow 10 send il here out
/ Of ali the offices in town where il might
have gone instead: The whole thing is
/ quite beyond me-
/ II don't know quite what 10 say at
I this early stage in the proceedings ne
I said slowly; hut. let me see FIST of all
/ what's the sender's name and address
/ All. Claude Hellinght .. Ia Cad0gan
I street. w"
! He paused irresouiely for second,
/ and then wrote on the sheet in front Of
/ him:
Dear Sir-If the author Of the short
story. The Solitary Soul viii call At
I this Office al 3 o'clock on Thursday after
noon, / or my representative viii be glad
I to SCI him
There, that ought to fetch him" said
( the man, with a peculiar smile, as he
/ signed the letter, douglas Baird Ed
/ tor" Then directing the envelope to the
address given on the manuscript, he post
ed 1t at the corner 0f the street on his /
way home.
On the afternoon Of the following
Thursday, Douglas Baird sat ia his Office /
again. He was obviously not quite at his /
ease, and from time 10 time h. would
open one Of the drawers Of his desk aud (
examine the papers 1t contained, as If 10
assure himself that none 0f them We're
missing. Presently he looked at MS
watch.
HIM. a quarter past already" he
unused II wonder if my GORE. pondent ]
is going to fight shy. after allF'
\ tap al the door interrupted his so. To-
guy. Ia answer 70 his somewhat surly
Come a." the visitor entered
The editor OF the Monthly Rocket
slightly raised his eyebrows. Accustomed
AS he was 10 all sorts and conditions Of
1 visitors, il was not often that such a
/ pretty girl as this invaded his Office His
surliness vanished instantly. lie could
be- charming 10 ladies when be chose
This was one Of these occasions. Ac-
c0Fdiug.y. he set q char fog the visitor
and returned her timid greeting with q
gen.alily calculated 20 dlspei her very
obvious nervousness.
II was a gouug bBt sad and troubled
face that .ooked at him across the desk.
+ the sunny head Of a child, but the g1rl- /
! ish mouth had assumed a curve Of uu-
natural determination. and the blue eyes
were full ~ that awful fear which is 30
he seen only ia the eyes Of the refined
poor
Il have letter from Mr.. Baird, the
editor don't know if you are he-ask-
ing mr 90 cail 81 , today said the girl.
Il ana the editor. certainly; but | can't
Fccol."et writing to Miss-Chester. In
fact ! expect someone else at thus nour.
Mr. Claude Nottingham, pcrhapsE
Eyes, DO YOU know him, them asked
the man eagerly.
oh. yes. / think mas say I do.
little she replied, smiling again. In
fact II am the individual himself
Il don't quite understand, returned
Baird. wonderngiy. rs there such
person AZ all, them
oh, yes, very much so-rm he-or,
rather he's my nom Dc guerrc,' She an
.wcrcd quietly. seeming to enjoy his evil
dent my~t6cation.
+ YOU" he replied. "YuuE What on
earth made you take such pscudonym?"
he demanded wondcrHgly
"Dh, because | thought a mans name
would give my story better chance Of
acceptance. But why did You write 10
me- she continued anXi0uSly II was
SEQ glad "a get your letter, | thought
y0u had accepted the tale. You are go
INK to publish it, aren't youf" she added,
all her smiles vanishing
No said Baird, looking at her stead
lily: Il don't think | shall
The girls eyes filled az the answer.
and. rs he saw the bitter disappointment
in her face, the editor began To feel quite
rpmorSeful II was Il deuccd awkward
business, he told himself
Il am sorry, Miss Chester" he said.
pulling himself together With as fort.
that you should have thought my lot.
ter meant acceptance of your Contribu-
ton. Before we 20 any further how
ever, let nt ask yOu one question. Did
you send in that story, The Solitary
Soul as original matter|'
y pause CnSued, The ticking of
/ clock on the mantcIpiece alone broke the
silence If the room. The editor watched
/ the woman kecuiy-a sudden spasm
/ passed over her face and n hunted look
came into her eyes. Then for the first
time the man noticed her pailor and the
poverty Of her attire; she had clasped her
hands together rs If To make an appeal,
ana he saw that even her gloves were
carefully mcnded.
If you would rather not answer" he
said gently. and in a very different tone
70 that which he had intended to adopt
towards MIR, Hcllingham,' you need
not do SO Only. ! think you must ac-
knowledge that /, is impossible for me
to publish the story in my magazine"
w III you tell me WHY she asked,
trying IT, control her voice Il will own
! thot | shouldn't have offered 1t To Won
/ u"
For answer he took from a drawer
newspaper ahd pile ut manuscript.
This is Your manuscript" he remarked.
watching her ,ulv ~ she PVT ont her
hand for it, land this" he added grave
w. taking up the paper. lis the journal
m witch certain story entitled The
Lar appeared. Now, perhaps, you will
~" eirl,S hand trcmhlcd So that she
ter momcutary glance. snc laid il down
agaln. ond thrn. t"rnng hor bianrhoI
race To him. she said TREMENDOUSLY, u
will you tell me, Miss Chester" he