Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-05-11
THE TALE OF 4 TALE.

1t started on the small sofa III the al
cove beside the reading lamp, and there
were only two people III the room. One
of them stood on the hearth rug, with
his back to the fire, looking down on the
other as she sat, lingering the Ms. on
her lap.
why do you want to read it?' she
asked.
Because you wrote it, he answered.
with great simplicity.
She frowned. You ought to say, it's
because my other stories have been so
successful. and | get such nice puffs III
the papers,
Those reasons may suffice for the rest
Of the world, but they don't for mel
Perhaps you expect too much!'' she
said and studied her Ms. deeply.
DO ~ he asked, and studied her pro-
foundry. The clock licked loudly and the
fire crackledi
by the way" she remarked. you'll
be the first person to read this story of
your verdict
Il II read it tonight and report tomor-
| row, he assured her promptly.
Does the first necesstate the second 2"
she asked. raising her eyebrows.
LAS far as I'm concerned he an
SNtI6u, lUNeillS HIS, WuoIeppOH SHE uelu
out her story with a heavenly smile; but
he, being of a grasping disposition, took
first the Ms. and then the hand that held
it, and-oh! well.
The clock licked loudly and the fire
cracked.
Two hours later he stood in his own
front hall, turning his pockets inside out
by the light Of the midnight oil, then he
searched the front steps and examined
the pavement outside, and finally pa
trolIed certain street to certain house
till certain small hour of the morning.
when he returned to his abode uttering
unholy words.
What are you looking for:" she de-
manded on entering the drawing room
the next morning.
Nothing" he answered, rising hastily
from an evident inspection of the car
pei. His face WIS pale. and his search
ing eye roame4 uneasily over the furni-
.ure.
I thought you might have dropped
something" she suggested, casually.
''Oh, no. he responded defantly.
So she sat down on the sofa, her face
very grave, but the corner of her mouth
slightly twitching.
We'll, what did you think of % she
inquired.
story Of yours? 1t was great-really alb
sorbing. | assure you it kept me awake
until o'clock this morningr
And yet it is comparatively short
You must read very slowly! Do tell
me what you like best about it,
"Oh, WE'LL he f1Oundered: Il liked ii
all immensely, but what appealed to me
especially was that-er-seene where the
heroine-er-eets the best of it.
And paying no heed to her blank looks.
he fastened on into the safe waters of
abstract literature criticism, saying: I'm
| those few passages you snow breadth
OF view, right appreciation of value,
sense of the tonal significance which, if
| may be permitted to say SO, is quite
above the average
He felt that he was doing well. but at
this point she brought him back to earth.
DO you think" she asked him,
earnest and wide eyed that Gregory
ought to have done it,"
''Who:' he asked, staggered for the
ing himself-.Y This stoutIy. Il
think Gregory was perfectly justified; |
don't see how, under the circumstances
he could have done otherwise. lam
quite certain that in his place l should
have lone just the same thingr'
What thing?" she asked as she poked
the fire with her back turned. Then, as
he did not answer Immediately, she said
gently: L don't think that you quite I'M
derstand what scene | referred to, but
- OU IL hiOliicHt, IL JOu just
hand me the MS"
The MS.?" he queried blankly.
The MS! she repeated determinedly.
he took two turns up and down the
room, then faced her, crimson and crest
fallen.
Pm extremely sorry to tell YOU, he
said: hoarsely, that your Ms. is-(the
arctic blue of her eyes froze the truth
| upon his lips)-is left behind" He fin
ished. Il hope you don't need it imme.
diately?'
.'N-no,' she admitted; mot today. but
| really must dispatch it to the publish
ers tomorrow
"All right he said. Ell. call in the
morning!"
With the As.?' she asked him, smiI-
ingly.
With the MS he echoed despair
ngly
And as he went out of the house he
held hr'Af H+4~->.... CONVERSE ton with
the butler, punctuated with a fve-dollar
BILL and then paced the street for many
hours-a prey to thoughts OF forgery and
flight
1t was the next morning and he had
been talking volubly and long on differ
ent subjects when she at length managed
TO get III q word
What" he answered quickly. ''The
measles! No! Although you seemed to
think so, Judging from the way in which
You avoided me at the reception last
nlght, and again at the opera afterward.
You wouldn't give me SO much as a
bow!'
I didn't see YOU" she told him.
w here-where was I?'' he interrupted
to explain. I'm the dress circle, on the
opposite size, with my glasses leveled on
your box
That was waste of time she said
lmpat!ently, and SO is this. What is the
use hiding the truth any longer? Why
will you not acknowledge that you've
lost my MS
Because | haventr' he aswnered
doggedly. NO" CAS- she stared at him
| in amazenfent) "If that Ms. has dis
appeared, vanished irreparably, YOU are
| responsible. and you aloner'
He strobe, to the door, then wheeling
| round, faced her.
IF | forgot Your story" he said
harshly, 1T was because l was thinking
only OF YOU If | was absent-minded. it
was because YOU were present. If I-er
lost that MS, it was because, well. |
suppose you know it, had already lost
nv haart That's NJ Eood b,o