The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-02-27

her atmosphere.
"Yes; 1 suppose So" he assented.
AT any rate, it is true what he says
about it being sin in love to play at
fencing"
Nonsense. 1t is an absolute neces-
sity."
ITO fence in love?"
Eyes. Why, where would we be if
it was matter of straight cut and
thrust, and no feints?"
1--WE might be happy"
eve would most probably be bank
rupt. The sum and substance of
love story is the fencing"
Love story? Oh, love story. Yes,
1 dare say it's eminently necessary.
Does it never strike you as cold-blood-
ed. making copy out of the most sa-
cred sensations of the human heart"
ITO tell the truth, the adiectives tor
ment me so that haven't time to think
whether the sensations are sacred or
profane. l know what mine generally
are by the time I get the thing in
shape"
"Yes; profane."
well, in one sense" she admitted.
Not exactly wishing you could hire
man to swear but-tell me how do
you writers go to work on story?"
"Oh, l don't know. OF course, we
first create an atmosphere"
"That means?"
"Why, it means. 1t means that you
have to satisfy your mind with the
matter you are going to work on and
get yourself into the mood you are
going to exploit. If you want to de-
pict vicious character, you've got to
be vicious"
"For the time being. begin to see.
Go on
"Why, there is nothing to go on.
That is all there is to it,
Morris twisted his mustache
thoughtfully. Hannah moved her seat
so that she might watch the wind
tossed pines. Really if he expected to
reach home before the storm broke
he ought to 60 at once, she thought.
But Morris showed no intentions of
going. He was face to face with an
uncertainty, and he meant to win out
or lose.
"Tell me more about your work" he
asked. 81 find it interesting"
There is nothing more to tell" she
insisted.
There must be-" You have not told
NE how you get up your characters.
Do you study them from life or mag
inc them, or do they just naturally
Gomez"
"Oh, any way. After you get your at
mosphere the characters will develop
themselves"
"Then creating the atmosphere is
the tough end of the job?"
Creating it and keeping it until you
are done with it-yes. You see moods
are hard to manage"
This time Morris did not make the
mistake of telling her to go on. He
merely nodded and looked interested.
Did you ever try to keep yourself
in one frame of mind all day?"
81 have done it for year"
SIS that so? How?" He looked at
her and smiled little.
nav oCiiN OiC ~ ICl II lliG
Hannah moved abruptly and looked
out despairingly at the forest. The
pines had ceased their tossing and
stood silent and solemn, awaiting the
downpour of rain lowering over them.
Where now was that suggestion of
unyielding trength-resistless, Sc
rene? Hannah felt her carefully-cre-
ated atmosphere slipping from her,
and a wall of disappointed ambition
began to well in her breast.
at is going to rain" she remarked.
'See how still the trees are.''
81 see. The big fellows like to bluff,
but they know how to take their medi-
cine"
'But aren't you afraid of getting
wet?"
"Why, does this roof 1eak?" He
smiled at her Disconnected expression.
She was beginning to be herself once
more, and his spirits rose with a rush.
'Do you want to get back to your
work so badly as all that?" He took
a restless turn through the room and
paused beside her. eff you will prom
Use to do something for me l will 90
home and let you work in peace"
He gazed quietly at the motionless for
est, but his voice deepened.
Hannah's atmosphere suffered a
swift change of currents.
81 don't know" she muttered.
"But you will try" he insisted. "See,
there is the rain"
They stood silent for a moment
watching its approach. At first faint
white streaks stealing up the forest
vistas, then an Opaque whiteness con-
cealing the distant trunks, leaving the
pine tops blurred and misty. The
breath of the air grew wet and fra
grant, the foremost trunks lost all
distinctness of outline and few large
drops of rain splashed against the win
dow sill.
'Well,' Hannah sighed, "that is the
last of my atmosphere.
Morris laid an eager hand on her
arm.
"Let me help you to another one.
Here, in this window seat, we could
create a deliciously cozy atmosphere
with the rain outside, and-will you
admit that immortal fellow to share