The suburban citizen., 1902-11-08

thuslasm.
Something is bound to come Of it,"
he said. 1--WE will exchange mail for
one week. You must read my letters
and answer them as if they were your
own without consulting me, or even
telling me their contents, and l will do
the same with yours. BY following mp
this misfit correspondence III be sure
to get plot"
"Qulte likely" drawled Grant But
what do getI'
The satisfaction of seeing me make
a stake with an original story. and pos
sbly a check, If that delinquent Boston
firm comes to time"
Grant pondered the proposition
doubtfully.
TITS n crazy notion" he said, at
length, but since l get scarcely any
mail up town except laundry bills and
circulars from local tradesmen, the
chances Of your prying into any of my
secrets seems exceedingly slim, so l
suppose can safely accommodate you.
When do you wish to put the system
into operations"
Tomorrow morning, If you're will
ing" said Dudley. MY imagination
seems to be afflicted with a most ag-
gravated case of dry rot these days.
and the sooner get to work on plot
from real llfe the better
At no delivery on the following day
were there any letters Of importance
for either of the friends but in the 10
o'clock mail on the second morning
there was a letter addressed to Grant
that promised interesting results. The
envelope bore unmistakabe earmarks
Of femininity, and in spite of their
agreement Dudley hesitated before
opening it.
1T seems hardly fair to the girl" he
thought. still"
He looked across the table at Grant.
who had finished his breakfast and
was smiling over a communication to
Dudley from the ponderous Boston
drm.
THAT settles IT," growled Dudley.
Hes got the check, confound him, so
might as well get even by making
the most of this innocent little note"
The letter was written in a sprawl
ing, fashionable hand, and covered sew
eral pages. Before he was half way
through Dudley perceived that he had
been precipitated into the thick Of a
! plot far more unique than any he had
counted on discovering.
"My dear Henry" the letter ran.
/ "After many months of hard work /
have come TO the conclusion that the
editing Of the papers left by my late
| husband, General McKeever, is too big
a job for me to finish alone. and l have
decided to place them in the hands of
some trustworthy literary man who
| will do justice to the Generals mem
ory. The question is, Whom shall
employ? l wish you would advise me.
know that you have large acquaint-
ance among writers, and it has oc-
Cured to me that you might be able to
/ recommend some person for the place
/ From our previous conversations on
| the subject, you are tolerably well
| aware Of the nature of the data left by
the General, and consequently you will
know what qualifications are essential
in the man who undertakes to finish
the book. The payment will be very
| liberal. and whoever accepts the posi-
tlon can well afford TO lay aside all
| other work while engaged in this.
| Kindly give the matter your earnest at.
| tentiOn, and advise me as soon as you
have made a choice. Yours sincerely,
"LUELLA McKEEVER.
Hawthorne Apartments, Sept. ."
Dudley read the letter several times.
/ Even after he knew it by heart he kept
on reading it. Presently Grant started
down town, and then he made prepara-
/ tiOns for answering It.
She's the same old Luolla," he
unused. over ink and notopaper. 1--WE
been thinking, ever since l heard that
the General was dead, that l would
look her up and see If she We're as
sweet and pretty as she used to be-
This is an unparalleled opportunity.
It's a blessing l made that contract
with Grant. He wouldn't have recon-
mended me in hundred years, but /
shall have no hesitancy in recommend
ding myself. Luella refused me once,
in another capacity, and she may re-
fuse me now in this, but ! certainly
shall not fail through want Of en-
deayor."
Grants was IN easy hand to initiate,
and after a couple OF hours practice
Dudley hattered himself that his writ.
ing would pass muster before anybody