The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1901-10-10

she protested, "and l can't pledge my
self that my heroine will accept them.
If you make them do things that my
judgment condemns, she must reject
them"
At first the story progressed beauti-
fully. She drew her heroine with a
firm, true hand, putting so much of
the charm and magnetism of her own
personality into her that Raymond
said it was the easiest thing in the
world for him to make his men love
her-that he was more than half in
love with her himself. Something in
his manner suggested the question
whether he meant the heroine of Mrs.
Martineau's story or the heroine of
mine. But let that pass. When things
began to draw to a climax, the trouble
began. He had painted one of his
heroes a handsome, daredevil fellow,
who carried all women's hearts before
him. But he explained that the
heroine was to discover in time that
the fascination he had for her was
not true love. This left room for her
to realize her grand passion" in her
love for Ormand Seville, a calm, clean
hearted gentleman, albeit rather cold
in exterior.
81 cannot let Elizabeth love that
drinking, c~arousing, billiard-playing
wretch you have there" Mrs. Mars
tineau protested, with fervid elo-
quence. "lt's quite impossible-he's
unworthy Of her"
"She will discover that in due time"
Raymond argued. She is only to be
temporarily infatuated. Then Ormand
will awaken her real, permanent af-
lection"
after the bead and the sparkle have
gone to the first" she urged.
Does the first always get the bead
and sparkle? l would be happy to
believe So" Raymond interjected, with
one of those dangerous lapses that
were becoming all toe frequent since
the subject of love had come to the
fore.
"In stories-yes. III real life-no!"
she retorted, with feminine perversity.
This was dangerous ground, and h
knew it, so she said they would put
away the story for that day, as h
had work for the magazine which
could not be postponed.
On the morrow they returned to the
onslaught.
'Well?"-Raymond began turning
the leaves of the manuscript, but look
ing at Mrs. Martineau with a danger
Gus something in his eyes-"Wnat
about Hardcastle?" That was the
hero she did not approve OF.
81 can't consent for Elizabeth to
love him-even for a little while-he's
not fit"
Are women always governed by
their lovers ftness?"
''They should be-"
'But are they?" She had admitted
in the other life they had lived to-
gether, that she did love him, and If
he was fit" then why not. Raymond
realized that he was off b track and
jerked himself up
eff you'll let Elizabeth love Hard
castle just for a little while, I'll, why
I'll do any thing you wish with him
after that, I'll kill him If you say 50.
Why can't you kill him now?" she
t1ashed-"it strikes, me that is the
best disposition to, be made OF him. l
can't let Elizabeth love him-not for
a little while and-to please you'll"
Her eyes dropped and her voice too
at the last.
The something that had been SUM
bering in him leaped to, flame
"Do you really care to please me?"
He was nearer to her now than even
the demands of collaboration required.
She was startled out of her self
"Why, why, 1 shouldn't mind pleas
ing you if it were not at the sacrifice
of principle; but I couldn't Let Eliza
beth"
Hang Elizabeth" he cried, and she
never knew what. became. of the pencil
she had in her hand, she may love
lust whoever she pleases if only her
mistress will consent to do the same.
Nina, it's out now, so let 1t GONNA,
this collaborated, secondhand love
won't do! It's decidedly toe Barmacidal
for a mar who has been hungering for
the real thing for how many years is
it, Dearest?'-
"a m never counts years" she
whispered with a last dying effort tc
keep from succumbing to the newt
able.
Save by their loss" he cried rap
turous1y as he gathered a more rea
woman than Elizabeth into his cage,
arms and looked down into her eye