The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-25

novels published recently which are
popularity ca led best sellers. l have gone
over them carefully. cutting out what
ever might give a hint to authorship
tyle and publisher. But they al have
intrinsic hints. Notwithstanding. that can
not be elided. the personal element woven
into the very woof and substance.
You knew Miss Walden Intimately
You knew her former works, her fixed
habits Of thought and expression in
rimately. Read these best sellers, then.
carefully. critically. and see whether or
not you recognize the indicia Of her work.
That N the obvious way to learn the
truth"
Even IL I did detect resemblance il
would amount TO nothing more than
suspicion objected Pompton. -why.
Miss Walden designedly wrote this novel
IN "A different way from the Others IL
was 10 be- test
That is what make IL. sir. don't
expect that the first result will be more
than a suspicion. though under the cir
CuInstances well grounded suspicion.
But the truth can then be extracted from
this suspected book beyond a possibility
Of "A doubt.
As a literary man you must remember
the scientific method by which number
Of years ago IL was determined that
'DraIy Miller's Dowry' Of the SAKE Holm
series was written by Mrs. Jackson
through the comparison OF IL with Ia
Why. Of course YOU do. the principle OF
averages. the fiSity Of the personal equa-
ton. the letter curve. the word curve.
and all that
Very well then. The thing for you
to do IL this. Find out from Miss Yal-
den = acknowledged books through letters
and words set down on a system Of rect
angular cooriinatcs the curve which
shall present graphically her usage. her
style. Then compar" with 1t such a curve
Il u
this suspected took And this will be
tho test Of "A test. sir
1T will be- long. hard task
You raj more than once. sir that
you were bound 70 learn the truth. Do
YOU think that You know il now through
your way? Do you think that you can {
learn il through my way' Or have you
changed
Pompton started and flushed Then
he hung his head
not chs nYed in my devotion 10 Eleanor.
IN NV resolve TO revenge her If need bs.
| was 80 weak amt worn that perhaps
accepted too readily theory which re-
Iieved me from sIckening responsibility.
1t was 40 sad 10 look back that Perhaps
I was glad to- look forward. But | will
amend. | will atone. Go now. my man.
that | may begin AT once. anfi hold your
self in readiness TO come when | send for
you
@fr,ictad the Office hoy To deny him TO
all callers He took from the table several
notes all in the same bold hand. and tore
them into bits. but he sighed a. he did 80
Then he brought out the sheets from the
packages and lifted down from his shelf
the set ~ Miss Ynlden's works and set
feverishly nt his task
Tho hooks and sheets had all been
cleared away when Abe CroDkite returned
20 Pompton rooms: but ON the desk lay
side by side two plafs OF rectan g,Ilar CO.
orciinata~. and the curves that wound
through them. ms siniors as the curves
Of life and death were alike.
You have found the missing manu-
script cried the detective. 1t has been
published II il one ~ the recent sue
cessc~ left with you"
Wan and worn, Pompton bowed his
head.
Il knew it at first reading" at length
he said. 1T wasn't suspicion; IL was
recognition. But yet the last chapter
was 40 different l though, I might be
mi-'ak on. I hoped might lie mistaken.
$50 I applied the test 81 n tsut. Every
chapter gRys out tho same curve no the
curve Of EIeanors Acknowledged writiD 70