Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

son." demanded Skinner. eying his adver-
sary keenly, that this is a purely literary
proposition
why, of course, Mr. Skinner" replied
Robertson promptly. what other ground
can | take? You surely are not asking Mr..
Wintringham to pay for the suppression of
these letters, are youo One would hardly
like to believe that so eminent legal firm as
yours. firm of worldwide reputation, would
undertake to force"
1--WE are not trying to force anybody, or
anything, Mr. Robertson" said Skinner
coldly. I'VE are giving Mr.. Wintringham
chance to recover-ah- regain possession
of one of the most diverting of his writings,
that is all. 1t is immaterial to us whether
he takes them off Our hands or not. Now,
can see the possibility of the Messrs. Dal-
ryrnple endeavoring to restrain their pub
hCatlOn by injunction, and l am not sure
that the courts would not grant one; but
even then the chances are that the letters
would get into the daily newspapers, com
ing unquestionablv under the head of things
that are fit to print; for, whatever else may
be said of them on the score of their good
sense, they are in every respect strictly
moral"
All right again, Mr.. Skinner" laughed
Robertson. 81 see you are pretty well forti-
fed, and, knowing your reputation as | do,
l should have been surprised if you weren't.
Suppose we get down to business then-on
financial basis, so to speak"
THAT will be quite agreeable to me, said
Skinner, with smile.
Mr.: DALRYMPLE;' said Robertson,
IVA "after going over the typewriter copy
you so kindly sent Mr.. Nottingham, places
the value of the manuscript at about a thou
sand dollars"
"And we pay the author the greater COM
plinent of estimating its worth at ten thou
sand dollars said Skinner, with a cour-
teous wave of his hand toward Wintring-
ham.
81 haven't got ten thousand dollars!"
growled Nottingham.
"If you please, Wintringham," said Rob-
ertson, with frown at his client, II will do
the talking in this case.
Skinner laughed. ooh, there's no harm
done, Robertson" he said patronizingly. "In
fact may say that your clients impulsvely
frank admissions appeal to my sympathetic
side very strongly-yes, very strongly in
deed. Like his letters, his admission bursts
spontaneously from the heart, and is there
fore free of guile Now, nothing is further
from the thoughts either of Miss Vynne or
of myself, who in this instance must think
for her, than a desire unduly to mulct or en-
barrass Mr.. Nottingham. If he cannot
raise ten thousand dollars, let us hear what
he can do. We are not after pound of
flesh
"The sentiment does you honor, Mr..
Skinner" said Robertson. $50 let us begin
by taking Mr.. Dalrymple's estimate"
Excuse me, Robertson" interrupted
Skinner, with vicious slap of his right hand
upon the table, "but l really have no time
for puerilities. l can't really pursue this
line of argument. The question is whether
or not you are willing to face the situation
as it exists.
Il am trying to-" said Robertson imper-
turbably, but with the beginnings at least
of glitter in his eye LET us stop all spar
ring, then, and get down to figures. l still
insist upon finishing what l was about to
say, however. Mr. Dalrymple's estimate
of the value of the letters is one thousand
dollars; yours is ten thousand dollars Sup
pose, for the sake of avoiding acrimonious
discussion, | were to raise our estimate to
two thousand dollars. What them"
"Then | should be inclined to come down
to eight thousand dollars" smiled Skinner
Il see" said Robertson, "and so by mutual
concessions all along the line, working on