The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-06-23
steadily; Il don't think / shall"

and, as he saw the bitter disapnoint
mcnt i'll her face, the editor began +,
feel quite remorseful. 1t was deuce,
awkward business. he told himself
/ Il am sorry. Miss Chester,' hc said
pulling himself together with an effort
that You should have thought NV LET
tor meant acceptance of vour ,0ntri
! button. Before we 60 any furthcr
however, let me ask you one Question
| DID you scnd in that story, ',rhe Soil
tary Soul, as original matter:'
y pause cnsucd. The tckin. of =
clock on the mantclpiecc alone broke
| the silence Of the room. The editor
| watched the woman kccnly-n sudden
| SpaSm PASSED over her face ana a
hunted look came into her eyes. Then
for the first time the man noticed her
pallor ana the poverty of her attire:
she had clasped her hands together.
rs il to make an appeal. and he saw
that even her gloves were carefully
mcndcd.
IF YOU would rather not answer"
he said gently. and in a very different
tone to that which he had intended to
adopt towards Mr. Ucllingham," you
need not do so. Only. l think YOU
must acknowledge that it is impossible
for me to publish the story in MY
magazine"
"Will You tell mo w-why:" she
asked, trying to control her voice. Il
will %1,o%
it to You without an explanation. per
haps But IT,
For answer he took from a drawer
newspaper and a pile of manuscript
This is your manuscript he remark
ed, watching her keenly as she put out
her hand for it; "anf this" he added
gravcly, taking up the paper "is the
Journal in which a 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 a mOmentary glance, she laid it
down again. and then, turning her
blanchcd face to him, she said tremul-
OuSly. "I-ask 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.
III allow; Or" he continued in a softer
was the payment that you would have
received, had the manuscript been ac-
cepted, an important consideration
"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
a girl like me. without interest or
friends. it seems impossible to get
work. I've lost heart utterly now, and
I'm so tired of it all.''
Have you met with any success at
all!' he asked sympathetically.
"Yes-a little, but not very much.
and nothing regular. l got some fairly
regular work on the Morning Comet;
but the paper failed last summer-and |
eft some money owing to me, too"
she added sadly.
THAT was hard lines. Did you write |
much for it,"
Yes, good deal. did all those
articles on The Provincialism of Lon
lOn.' and also the serial. The Heart of
| Woman with some short tales as
WE'LL"
by Jove! was 1t you who wrote The
Ieart of a Woman them" he OK
laimed with interest. How silly of
ne! l ought to have remembered the
lame. 1t was a capital story-you
hould get it published in volume form.
m sure it would succeed"
Il tried to, but it was no good. The
irst firm l offered it to kept it for
even months. and then wrote to say
hey would bring the story ont if
would bear the expense. The next
cOple who considered it were not so
ad; they asked me to pay only half
he cost, | knew they were good
I'm, and would treat me well. and SO
tried to get the money before the
ook would be too much Out-Of-date."
Hit 10 W Nuy Sou SChI thio Au"Au
cript to me, then?''
"Yes. l saw that you were offering
100 for the best ten thousand word
tory. The money meant such lot to
le. and was so awfully hard-uD. l
egan story and got half through
18th it; but it wasn't alive, and /,
couldn't set on with it.
hen. one day, l came across an old
lie of the 'Capetown Mercury in the
i'm the museum. l saw
STORY called The Liar in it. and
ked the central idea very much.
,orked it up and changed the con-
.ruction little. and added another
lapter; and then-well, then | sent it
ere. never imagined any one would
,cogniZe it, The paper WAS over ten
ears old, and had lasted only dozen
umberS,
And now, I think I've nothing more
, saw" she went on. except that I'm
,er so sorry about it all. l hope you
ont think too badly of mc-it YVES i
ich Il temptation. Will you tell me, I
voice faltcred-'' how. it t
as you found out: didn't think |
" one IN London could have read the +,
,,,,n+o,,.,, NIor.,ry or pvpu if they 1,