The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-07-12
THE WAY@
! STORIES END
By J. A. FLYNN.

"Well?" 1 asked as she laid down the
gayly covered magazine. was sorry TO
the ending of the tale, when the gray eye:
ceased to flash and the kind lips to culver
at is a pretty story, Mr.. Norton" she
said. "Oh, no, you needn't shake you:
head. I'm not saying so just because it,
yours. 1 cannot imagine how you could
write it,
"Pen and ink, whisky and soda, tailor'>
bill as stimulus"
"Please don't make fun. want to b,
serious" When she looks at me In he.
earnest way, am helpless.
"Does that mean criticism?" inquired.
leaning little toward her.
Criticism and inquiry-if may"
Enquiry by all means. I'm rathe.
afraid of your criticism, do you know?
She is very bright, and her remarks often
help me, as a matter of fact.
She opened and shut the magazine alb
sently.
what 1 was wondering" she said
was why you wrote so seriously am
talked so frivolously, whether one mooG
was the real you, and the other a shan
you. and which was which,"
81 think" protested, II would rathc
have the criticism, if you don't mind"
She laughed softly. l like her laugh
at Is rather an obtrusive question. Blu.
I should very much like to know. You
do mean this"-she touched the book
"a little, don't your"
"Ye-es," said, 81 suppose do. did
when wrote it, anyhow"
| sand afterward%
81 keep my seriousness for serious oc.
casions."
(Which is a rebuke for my inquisitive
ness, l suppose?" She flushed little.
She is rather pale generally. Some peo
pie wouldn't Gull her good looking. do.
81 didn't mean it to be-" apologizcd
81 ought to be fattered at your inter
est
"In your tales" she corrected.
"In my tales, of course. l suppose the
real answer is that do not carry my
heart upon my sleeve"
"But you have one all the sameT' A
touch of usefulness makes her voice per
feet.
Cry" caught her eyes for a moment
and stopped. had made up my mind t.
keep heart whole before met her.
snow for the criticism" she continued
hastily.
"Or as large an installment as / car
stand"
1.-THE criticism must not be misunder
stood. You will remember, please, that
like the tale-like it very much in fact"
bowed.
1.-THE criticism is -
'"That it is a repetition Of your othe'
tales" gasped.
"Why. / thought 1t was quite differ
ent" She shook her head. "Fresh char
acters. fresh scenery, new plot, origina
phrases
1.-THE machinery is different, but tn
story is really the same"
"In what way? In being about mar
and woman?"
YES" laughed.
"If you can invent third kind of per
son." / said. "I'll utilize it with pleasur
At present haven't made the discovery.
Don't be absurd. What / mean is tina
your men and women always do the sam
thing"
Fall in love?"
Exactly"
"There are lots of ways Of doing it."
suggested.
AT the present rate you will soon ex
haust them. Whatever will you do then?
l lit a cigarette, with her permission
to aid reflection.
"I'm hanged if l know. I've oftc:
wondered myself. Make them fall ont o.
| love- l suppose"
"And when you've exhausted that"
"Make them fall in again" Sh'
stamped her foot impatiently.
do you absolutely refuse to be orig
inal? cannot think you do yourself jus
tice in keeping to such hackneyed theme
though admit you do it very nicely"
81 might do it better il l had NOR,
practical experience" suggested. Their
| is something about her big eyes and TIL
little droop at the corners of her mouth
which makes fellow say that sort OF
thing, you know.
"Now. remember our compact" shr
warned me- We were pledged to pure
~ patonc friendship. I've had that sor'
Of thing in my tales, but it always brok'
| down.
"The keeping of a platonic compact"
said l. would be a novel theme, dom:
you think?"
"Would it be interesting enough?" sh"
asked doubtfully.
"There! What stronger defense could
l have? l propose to leave out the love
making. and you say that the interest
would be gone" She drummed upon the
table with her fingers.
| "Surely there is some other themeT
knocked the ash deliberately off my Gig
arctic.
"Upon my word" confessed. "I'm not
sure that there is. But I'll think over it,
Then her brothers came in, and We
changed the subject until was going. Ii
is part Of the compact that she shall see
me out Of the door. I insisted upon 1t.
"Whcn shall communicate the result
Of my delibcrations?" asked In the hall
Tomorrow
"I'm going to Vereker's."
-"And Wednesday I'm due at a smoker.
Thursday"
"If you like"
Thursday, then. Good night, Mary"
1t is in the compact that ! am not to
call her Mary. but I do. Sometimes she
objects; sometimes she doesn't. On this
occasion she only tossed her head and
half turned away from me. She Is awar,
that she looks well in profile. suddenly
bent over her, and
GLOW dare you" she cried hotly.
81 couldn't help it, Mary; you looked
so tempting" But she ran up stairs,
with her face scarlet.
81 shall not be in on Thursday" she
called as she turned the corner, "or any
other day."
So 1 went out, feeling triumphantly
foolish.
Next Thursday called, and she wasn't
out, but she received me coolly and kept
the table between us.
Look here. Mary" / began.
miss Montague il you please"
81 don't please. 1t is quite natural t"
| ,.,n n rr;nul NV hnr chris ian name >"