The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-11-18

"How many times must we go back
to the original question. You must
choose between saying it all anti hav-
ing nobody read it and saying lit
tie and having everybody read it.
I'm not saying anything against
your theory-it's lovely. But unless
you make it good story, first, last
and all the time, you will never get
hearing"
Griswold confessed. "If 1 may not
preach little 1 have no excuse for
saying anything at ALL"
ooh, you may preach little. But
in this particular instance you must
make Rathbone stern and inf1exible,
cruel, if need be. You needn't be
afraid of it's effect upon the girl.
She will condone anything he may
have to dots way girls have"
He looked at her narrowly and
then the film of abstraction came
between.
81 wonder if you really mean that?
Are women so ready to condone?"
Her laugh was mocking. you
make me blush for you," she said.
isn't an author supposed to know
more about US than we know about
ourselves?"
81 don't know about the suppose
ton. But the man who knows the
heart of one woman"
She stopped him with little ges-
ture of Impotence.
Tell me what it is you don't know
and I'll turn traitor and betray my
SEX
AT that his gaze went beyond her
again and he said: 81 wonder if you
would?"
"Try me and see"
He hesitated moment, and then
plunged into the depths of it.
'.Then tell me this: If Rathbone
should go on and do all the hard
things you say his character calls
for-things which Priscilla believes
to be wrong-would she put her con-
science aside and stand with him?"
Miss Grierson's reply was brief and
very much to the point.
"a woman in love has no con-
science. The man she loves has to
furnish enough of that commodity
for two"
Griswold WINGED. "What merci-
less little cynic you are" he de-
clared.
cit is true, and when you are say
ing true things where is the use of
taking the roundabout way. 1 don't
say the woman wouldn't be hurt.
She would be, and the hurt might
turn up afterward in a way to make
the man sorry. But that has moth
ing to do with the fact that wom-
ans conscience can't hold its own
against her love-
Griswold shook his head in depre-
cation. II don't like to believe that.
I'd like to believe that man may
go on making a good woman's con-
h St n by and Mhs arJ his
may be corrected"
Margery laughed lightly. "And SO
you may, if you don't first go about
to make the woman love you. But
you can't eat your cake and have it
too"
.Griswold folded his manuscript and
put it back in the envelope. Then
he said what was in his mind.
"These are generalities, Margery
Would you be that loyal to the man
you loved?"
Miss Grierson's shrug was barely
perceptible.
81 like that" she said. THAT is
certainly personal enough And
then: "You mustn't endow me with
a conscience"
"Why?"
Because I think it was denied me
in the general distribution of things
good but unhappy. 1 am afraid the
question l ask oftenest is whether ]
want the thing hard enough to try
to get it,
"As if anyone would believe that
of you!" said Griswold, at parting.
But afterward, when he came to
think of it, the thin edge of belief
found crevice and would not be
denied it's entrance therein.
ITO Be Continued
1 He Meant Well