The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-30

said gently, and i'm very different tone
10 that which he had intended to adopt
towards Mr.. Hellingham," you need
not do so. Only, i think you must ac-
knowledge that IL Is impossible for me
10 publish the story I'm my magazine"
"Wiii you tell me w-why?' she asked,
that shouldn't have offered it to YOU
without an explanation, perhaps. But
For answer he took from a drawer a
newspaper and pile of manuscript.
This Is your manuscript. he remarked,
watching her keenly as she put out her
hand for 1t; and this. he added gravely.
which a certain story entitled The Liar
appeared Now, perhaps you will under
stand
The girls hand trembled so that she
could hardly hold the printed sheet. After
a momentary glance. she laid IL down
again. aud then. turning her blanched
face TO him, she said tremulously. Task
"wiil you tell me. Miss Chester" he
asked slowly, why you sent this TO me?
Was IL for the sake OF getting into print
"a natural enough vanity I'll allow:
or" he continued In "a softer tone. was
the payment that you would have re-
ceived, had the manuscript been accept
ed. an important consideration
"Oh, Mr. Baird!'' she exclaimed, trying
TO regain her composure: II know IL was
"a dreadfully dishonorable thing To do.
but--but-you don't know how hard Il has
been for me I'm London. A woman has
no chance at ALL and, for "A girl like me.
without interest or friends IL seems inn
possible TO get work I'VE lost heart ut
terly now. and I'm tired of Il ALL
Have you met with any success at
all?" he asked sympathetically.
"Yes--a little. but not very much, and
nothing regular. ] got some fairly reg
ular work on the Morning Comet but
tho paper failed last summer and left
some money owing to me. too she add
THAT was hard lines! Did you write
"Yes. a good deal I did all those ar
ticles on The Provincialism OF London
and also the serial. The Heart OF a Wo-
man with some short tales as well"
"By Jove, was II you who wrote The
Heart or Woman them" he exclaimed
with interest. How silly OF me! ought
to have remembered the name. II was
lished in volume form. I'm sure 1t would
succeed
i've tried 10, but It was no good
The first firm / offered il TO kept IL for
seven months and then wrote TO say
tne-- would bring the story out II would
bear the expense. The next people who
me to pay only half the cost. knew
they were n good firm. and would treat
me well. and 40 I tried 90 get the money
before the book would be too much out
vThat is why you sent this manuscript
"Yes ! say that you were offering Ok
guineas for the best ten thousand word
story The money meant such a lot 10
me. and l was 80 awfuliy hard-up, I be-
gan a story and got halfway through
with IL: but II wasn't alive and 7.
somehow, couldn't get on with II. Then.
one day. I came across an old file OF
the 'Capetown Mercury I'm the reading
room at the Museum. ! saw n story
called The Liar IN IL. and liked the cen-
trail idea very much. 7 worked N up and
changed the construction n little. and
added another chapter: and then--wcli.
then i sent II here. 7 never imagined
anyone would recognize g. The paper
was over ten years old. and had lasted
And now. ] think I've nothing more
10 say. she went on. except that I'm
ever 40 sorry about IL ALL 7 hope YOU
won't think too badly Of melt WAS such
a temptation VIII YOU tell me, though
--her voice faltered--"how II was you
found out?I didn't think anyone I'm Lon
don could have read the 'Capetown AT~r-
curry. or. even II they had read The
Liar that they could remember it now.
II Is n curious coincidence. of conrse?'
Yes. answered the man SLOWLY. "an
extraordinary coincidence The fact Is,
though-er-I myself happen 60 he the
original author of 'TheN Liar THE
Sketch