Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-05-17
Eary Soul as original matter p,

CLOCK on the mantelpiece alone broke
the silence of the room. The adi+or
watched the woman keenlv-a snada,,
spasm passed over her face and a
hunted look came into her eyes. Then
for the first time the man noticed her
paiior and the poverty of her attire.
she had clasped her hands together
as II to make an appeal, and he saw
that even her gloves were carefully
mended.
If you would rather not answer"
he said gently, and in a very different
tone to that which he had intended to
adopt towards MIR. Nottingham" "you
need not do so. Only, | think Won
must acknowledge that it is impossible
for me to publish the story in nv
magazine
''Will you tell me w-why?, she
asked, trying to control her voice. "T
will own that | shouldn't have offered
it to you without an explanation. per-
haps. But IL
For answer he took from a drawer
newspaper and pile of manuscript.
This is your manuscript he remark
ed, watching her keen1y as she put out
her hand for it; land this he added
gravely. taking up the paper, lis the
journal in which certain story en-
titled The Liar appeared Now, per-
haps, you will understand"
The girls hand trembled so that she
could hardly hold the printed sheet
After momentary glance, she laid it
down again, and then, turning her
blanched face to him, she said tremul
ously, TASK your pardon
will YOU tell me, Miss Chester he
asked slowly, why you sent this to
me? Was it for the sake of getting
into print-a natural enough vanity,
I'll allow; or, he continued in softer
was the payment that you would have
received, had the manuscript been ac-
ceDted, an important consideration 2"
''Oh, Mr.. Baird" she exclaimed, try
ing to regain her composure; Il know
it was dreadfully dishonorable thing
to do, but-but-you don't know how
hard it has been for me in London. A
woman has no chance at all, and for
IL gill lIAC Liz, NlLlOuC IAGClCSt vi
friends, it seems impossible to get
work. I've lost heart utterly now, and
I'm so tired of it ALI"
Have you met with any success at
alp" he asked sympathetically.
''Yes-a little, but not very much,
and nothing regular. | got some fairly
regular work on the Morning Comet
IL, 20
left some money owing to me, too
she added sadly
THAT was hard lines! Did you write
much for it,"
Eyes, a good deal. I did all those
articles on The Provincialism of Lon
DON and also the serial. The Heart of
a Woman with some short tales as
WE'LL
by ,Jove. was it you who wrote The
Heart of a Woman then?" he ex-
claimed with interest. How silly of
me. / ought to have remembered the
name. 1t was capital story-you
should get it published in volume form.
I'm sure it would succeed"
Il tried to- but it was 40 good The
uISJ III LII OIICICu IL W ANtJC IL AoA
seven months. and then wrote to say
they would bring the story out il |
would bear the expense. The next
people who considered it We're not so
bad; they asked me-to pay only half
the cost / knew they were good
firm. and would treat me well, and SO
| tried TO get the money before the
book would be too much out-of-date.'
THAT is why you sent this manu-
script to me, then!''
Eyes. / saw that you We're offering
500 for the best ten thousand-Word
story. The money meant such lot to
me. and | was SO aWfully hard-up! l
began a story and got half through
with it; but it wasn't alive, and l.,
somehow. coultlna't get on with it..
Then. one day, came across an old
file of the 'CaDetown Mercury IN the
reading-room in the museum. l saw
a story called The Liar in it, and
liked the central idea very much. l
worked it up and changed the con-
struction a little, and added another
chanter: and then-well, then l sent 1t
here / never imagined any one would
recognize it, The paper was over ten
wears old. and had lasted only dozen
numbers,
And now, think I've nothing more
to saw she went on. except that I'm
ever SO sorry about it all. hope you
wont think too badly Of met was
sueh a temptation! Will you tell me,
thouch''-her voice faltered-"how It
was you found out? d1dn Iniiak
any one i'm London could have read the
.Capetown Mercury or. even II they
had read The Liar that they couid
ramember it now. 1t is curious COIN
cidence of course?''
YES, answered the man SLOWLY,
IAN extraordinary coincidence. me
fact is. though er-I myself happen 20
he the original author of The Liar.
The Sketch