The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1902-12-12

sential in the man who undertakes TO
finish the book. The payment will
be very liberal. and whoever accepts
the position can well afford to lay
aside all other work while engaged
in this. Kindly give the matter your
earnest attention, and advise me as
| soon as you have made a choice.
! Yours sincerely,
LUELLA M'KEEVER.
| "Hawthorne Apartments, Septem-
Der q"
Dudley read the letter several
times. Even after he knew it by
heart he kept on reading it. Pres
emily Grant started down town. and
| then he made preparations for an
swering it.
:She's the same old Luella," he
+, unused, over ink and notepaper. tive
been thinking ever since l heard that
the general was dead that l would
look her up and see if she were 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 rec
commended me in a hundred years,
but l shall have no hesitancy in rec
ommending myself. Luella refused
me once, in another capacity, and
she may refuse me now in this, but
I certainly shall not fail through
want of endeavor."
Grants was an easy hand to imi-
tate. and after a couple of hours
practice Dudley fattered himself
that his writing would pass muster
before anybody less skilled than an
expert. That feat accomplished, he
wrote to Mrs. McKeever.
MY dear Luclla." he said. 81 am
very glad that you consulted me in
regard to a competent literary man
to, finish editing the generals pa
pers. because it gives me a chance to
recommend a man whom [ think re-
markedly well fitted for the post.
Clarence Dudley is the man 1 mean
You have no doubt heard his name
mentioned frequently of late, for he
has been doing some very creditable
work. Dudley is a particular friend
of mine. 1 have known him intimate
~ for many years, and have always
found him the right sort. 1 have
never known a man whom / liked so
well. He is. by all odds, the best
friend 1 ever had. and if you a see
your way clear to trusting him with
your book you will be comforting a
favor upon me personally. Aside
from his attributes as an all-round
good fellow, Dudley is SO we'll
equipped mentally that I feel sure
he would give excellent satisfaction,
and I hope you can strike a bargain
with him. Let me know at once what
you think of my selection. If your
decision is favorable, / will have Dud-
ley call on you, and you can settle
the matter to suit yourselves. Yours,
"HENRY GRANT"
Dudley did not view this effusion
with unalloyed pride.
st is pretty fulsome praise to sing
at ones own funeral" he comment
ed. "If she should ever find out that
| am the author of the %panegyric
she will certainly think me too effer-
vescent to write a history of her de-
ceased husband. I must warn Henry
to say nothing about our compact.
If he should give me away, my van
ity would certainly prove fatal"
Grant did not come up to their
ooms that night. He sent word that
he should be out of town for a day
or two, but that Dudley was to stick
to their bargain and continue to an
swer his share of their mail, as usual.
There was very little to answer, hut
it made up in quality what it lacked
in quantity, for Thursday morning
brought another letter from Mrs.
Mckeever.
Il was somewhat surprised at your
choice of literary executor" she
wrote. 81 knew Clarence Dudley sew
eral years ago, and have rather pleas
ant recollections of him, but 1 had
hardly thought that his literary
qualifications are exactly what I re-
quire. Still, you seem to besin a po-
sition to judge him from every stand
point, and | will gladly grant him
an interview. Before sending him to
me, however, there is one point that
[ must make clear to you. 1 should
have mentioned it in my last letter,
but shrank from doing SO. But it is
too important to be put off longer.
1t relates to the commands of Gen.
McKeever. 1t was one of the provi-
sions of his will that no one except
myself or my second husband should
write a line of his biography. Natu-
rally, he preferred hat I should do
it without assistance, but he was
not a jealous or a selfish man. and
he realized that /, being a young
woman, should probably marry
again. If l found the book too great
an undertaking to accomplish alone,
and decided to marry before it's com
pletion, he expressly stipulated that
my husband should carry on the
work. So, you see, before entering
into a literary agreement with n
author / must come to an under
standing with him in regard to that
clause in the generals will. You will
see, my dear Henry. without fur
thcr explanation, that my position is
most ayyEyra ri pv @ho ...p.