The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1911-02-02

realized this and admired himself n
bit for the inherent generosity which
prevented his holding her solely to ac.
count
Claxton reached his place" in rather
a relieved frame of mind. He opened
the door with key fastened to a silver
ring that she had given him on his
birthday and walked straight across
the library to his typewriter. Beside
the machine was tiny cushion she
had made for him to rest his elbow
upon when he was reading COPY" He
recalled that 1t had come wrapped in
numberless pieces Of paper, each one
Enclosed inside the other, like the eggs
In Chinese puzzle. That was about
the time that the interest aroused by
bis tale Of Central American life had
opened the hearts of editors toward
him.
Somehow the detective story he had
intended to begin did not fly from bis
finger tips as speedily as he had ex-
pected. The first paragraph, after writ
ing which, he told himself things
would go better, stood alone on the
page, a succession of stilted and unin-
viting sentences.
Not In the mood" he confessed at
last and strolled down Broadway to
his club. The boy at the door didn't
know him, and when, after satisfying
the stupid fellow of his membership.
he sauntered into the lounging room
he was in an exceedingly unpleasant
humor Parsons been here this even
ing?" he inquired brusquely Of an at
tendant
mo, sir" replied the man. "IIe does
not come very often now, sir. Married,
! believe"
Claxton cursed Parsons from the bot
tom of his soul.
"Graham?" he asked.
Mr.. Graham was in about a week
ago. We don't see him more than once
fortnight"
Funny" unused Claxton. by George
l wonder II there's any one In the
place"
There was, In the writing room
Frederick Ford Ferguson, youth jus,
coaxing a timorous mustache into ex
istence and tolerated only for the sake
Of his father, Major Ferguson, former
~ Of the Ninth infantry. Claxtor
would gladly have passed the young
ster by. but he was hailed before ht
could regain the hall.
"Stop bit. old chap. want to read
you a line I'm sending to friend Of
mine at Days. Rather a clever letter
you know"
Claxton tore himself away and wen
| back home. What was Miss Carter
doing? He would have wagered {
hundred that Phelps had called anC
taken her out. Confound Phelps!
The story Went more smoothly, stim
ulated by the resentful energy of it!
author From 10 O'Clock until nearl!
daylight the typewriter clicked inces
sanity. When it stopped clicking sever
pages of manuscript, much married b.
pencil marks. lay on the table near a
hand. 1t was a good story, he fel
sure, although there were two or tire
details concerning which he woul'
have liked a conservative opinion. II
take Virginia out for luncheon an
read it to her." he thought. Then b
remembered that they had agree
never to see each other again-yolur
tarily, that Is.
The day, which began with his risin
at noon, dragged along monotonousl!
It was hard to realize that he Nigh
not speak TO her over the telephOn
that stood on his desk and harde
still to be convinced that she woul
not Gull him up. Toward midafternoo
Claxton unlocked a drawer and too
out the niue packages Of her letter
that representa- correspondence
three years. He must choose the or
letter and return the rest to her.
To do this he must read every cpl
tie In the nino bundles. Claxton,
I common with most men who write
act, was sentimentalist, and
\ wanted that the one letter should
the dearest Of all. The first that M
\ his eve he laid aside In the belief TIL
it would prove the dearest. Miss Ca
\ ter had penned it when he lay Ill
fever at San Jose de Guatemala. "Yo'
cable was repeated to me at Chicago
was the message; otherwise l shou
have been with you now. know tn
y IL your illness continued you wou
need a nurse, and l felt that L cou
X not delegate to strangers the privileI
D of attending to you" 1t was woma
ly letter-the letter Of woman matu
= In heart and brain-and Claxton po
dered a long while before putting
aside.
Next came a telegram, sent TO L
, APARTMENTS before the telephone III
been installed: please come tonigl
, Am blue. Have wired Minnie ST
8 home" A very sweet, dependent llt'
? message, but, Of course, not TO
: thought Of as the single memento
= so close a friendship as theirs d
8 been. It was even preferable to
, tain the short note which he had
{ WAYS ascribed to her literary gem
rather than to her feelings-"Ea
r thought of you. dropping into the v