Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-01-12
THE TALE OF A TALE
BY EDITH M. WILLETTE-

there were only two people IN the
room. One of them stood on the hearth
rug. with his back to the fire, looking
down on the other as she sat, hnger-
ing 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
In the papersl"
"Those reasons may suffice for the
rest of the world, but they don't for
mel"
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 pavements outside, and
finally patrolled certain street to
certain house till a 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 has
| tily from an evident inspection OF the
carpet His face was pale, and his
searching eye roamed uneasily over the
| furniture.
| 81 thought you might have dropped
something" she suggested, causually
'.Oh, mol" he responded defiantly.
well, what did you think of it?"
she inquired.
"Ohl" he said with a start. THAT
story of yours? 1t was great-really
absorbing! l assure you it kept me
awake until four o'clock this morn
ing!"
"And yet it is comparatively short.
You must read very slowly! Do tell
me what you like best about It,"
"Oh, WE'LL" he fioundered; 81 liked
1t all immensely, but what appealed to
me especially was that-er-scene
where the heroine-er-gets the best
of it."
He felt that he was doing well. but
at this point she brought him back to
earth.
do you think" she asked him, earn
nest and wide-eyed. that Gregory
ought to have done it?"
"Who?" he asked, staggered for a
moment. "What?" And then recollect-
ing himself-"Yes" This stoutly. 81
think Gregory was perfectly justified;
I don't see how. under the circum-
stances. he could have done otherwise
1 am quite certain that in his place
should have done just the same thing.
What thing?" she asked, as she
poked the fire with her back turned
Then, as he did not answer immediate
ly, she said gently: 81 don't thinl
you quite understand what scene I re-
ferred to. but I'll show you in a mo
ment if you'll just hand me the MS"
1.-THE MS.?" he queried, blankly.
<'The MS" she repeated deter
minedly..
He took two turns up and down thu
room then faced her, crimson ant
crestfallen.
I'm extremely sorry to tell you,
he said hoarsely, that your MS. is
(the arctic blue Of her eyes froze tn
truth upon his lips)-is left behind.
he finished. 81 hope you don't need i
Immediately"
"N-no," she admitted; mot to-day
but I really must dispatch it to tn
= publishers tomorrow"
"All right" he said. "I'll call in tn
morning!"
with the MS? she asked hin
smilingly.
''With the MS" he echoed, despair
ingly.
{ And as he went out Of the house b
4 held a brief Intellectual conversatio
d with the butler, punctuated with five
dollar bill, and then paced the stree
J, for many hours-a prey to thoughts {
: forgery and flight.
! 1t was the next morning and he ha
Q been talking volubly and long on di
. ferent subjects when she at lengt
n managed to get in word.
WELL" she asked, have you q
q it?"
e "What?" he answered quickly. TT
:; measles? No! Although you SCENE
n to think so, judging from the way
d which you avoided me at the receptic
: last night, and again at the opera at
erward. You wouldn't give me
d much as q bow"
4 81 didn't see you," she told him.
l. 'Where-where was II" he int
II rupted to explain. in the dress ci
= Gle, on the opposite side, with n
glasses leveled on your box"
- ''That was a waste of time" she sa
81 impatiently, "and so is this. What
i the use hiding the truth any longe
i Why will you not acknowledge tn
80 you've lost my MS? ?"
33 Because I haven't" he answer,
~ doggedly. "No!" CAS- she stared
50 him in amazement) eff that MS. b
% disappeared, vanished irreparably, y
q are responsible, and you alone!"
IL He strobe to the door, then wheelil
SO round, faced her.
% eff l forgot your story" he ga
: harshly, sit was because l was thin
at ing only of you. If I was absent-min
II ed, it was because you were presel
If I-er-lost that MS, it was becau.
Welt I suppose you know it b
already lost my heart. That's a
Good-by!"
:, And he turned to go. But she W
already at his elbow, and there W
something in her hand-a typewritt
parcel-a MS.
''It has been a pretty bad quarter
an hour, hasn't it?" she asked him, a
her eyes were neutrality-suspicious.
your stories and mine. But you're I
going YETI" (For he was turning
= the door knob.) "It isn't late, and
sides"
Here she looked up at him, and
welll-The clock licked loudly and