The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-09-05
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~ By Edith N. N
-SSSSSSSS Wlllette. NSsSSSSS

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 an
swered, with great simplicity.
She frowned. You ought to say,
It's because my other stories have
been so successful, and I get such
nice puffs in 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 II" he asked, and studied her
profoundly. The clock licked loudly
and the fire cracked.
"By the way!" she remarked. you
will be the first person to read this
story of mine, so that I shall be i'm
patient for your verdict"
'Ill read it tonight and report
tomorrow" he assured her prompt
ly.
Does the first necessitate the Sec
pnd?" she asked, raising her eye
brows.
"As far as I'm concerned" he an
swered, lowering his, whereupon she
held 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
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 a certain street to a
certain house till a certain small
hour of the morning, when he re-
turned to his abode uttering unholy
words.
What are you looking for?" she
demanded on entering the drawing
room the next morning.
Nothing" he answered, rising
hastily from an evident inspection of
te carpet. His face was pale, and
his searching y roamed ~uneasily
over the furniture.
II thought you might have
dropped something" she suggested
casually.
"Oh, mol" 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 do you think Of it?"
she inquired.
oh" he said with a start. THAT
story OF yours? 1t was great, real
ly absorbing! I ssure you it kept
me awake until four o'clock this
morning."
And yet it is comparatively short.
You must read very slowly! Do tell
me what you like best about it,"
"Oh, WELL" he f1o%undered; Il liked
1t all immensely, but what appealed
to me especially was that-er-
scene where the heroine-er-gets
the best of it."
And paying no heed to her blank
looks, he fastened on into the safe
waters Of abstract literary criticism.
saying: I'm those few passages you
show a breath Of view, a right ap-
probation of value, a sense of the
tonal significance, which, if l 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 a
moment. "What?" And then recol-
aecting himself-"Yes." This stout
ay. Il think Gregory was perfectly
Justified; ! don't see how, under the
circumstances, he could have done
otherwise. / am quite certain that
IN his place l 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 imme-
diately, she said gently: II don't
think you quite understand what
scene ! referred to, but I'll show you
In a moment, 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
the room, then faced her, crimson
and crestfalleh.
I'm extremely sorry to tell you,'
he said. hoarsely, that your MS. IL
1.-THE arctic blue of her eyes froze
the truth upon his lips)-is left be-
hind" He finished. II hope YOU
don't need it immediately"