The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-11-07
MONKTON'S
SCHEME
BY F. A.

creation. Here's a check for your ex-
penses going and coming, and I'll write
my old friend Charlie Burton, the land
lord of the hotel, to send me the bill
for your keep"
Winterhorne was given the theme
he was to work up and charged to find
q real model for his heroine. He was
much pleased at the prospect before
him and started with a light heart
On the way down he tried to lay out a
plan, but he found that plans usually
came to him after he began to write,
not before. The season had not yet
opened at the southern resorts, and he
found little to district him at the ho-
tel where he stayed. He was max
ing a beginning when one morning
after breakfast who should come up
the steps from the hotel conveyance
but Miss Febiger.
"For heavens sake" exclaimed Win
terhorne. what brought you down
here7"
"What brought your"
"Monkton sent me down to write a
story on a special plan he's taken a
desperate fancy to-"
He sent me down on the same er-
rand"
They compared notes as to the char
acter Of the work each was to do and
found they. had been given different
themes and different lines Of treat
ment.
II WONDER" said Winterhorne. what
he sent us to the same place for?"
II can't imagine"
Hes got some scheme on hand
something for a feature to attract at
tention to the magazine. And he said
nothing about my being here"
mo. He proposed this hotel because
he wanted to patronize the landlord.
who is an old friend Of his. He was
very busy when l came away. and l
think he forgot about your being here"
81 have it!' said Winterhorne sud-
denly.
"What?"
Ills scheme. Didn't he tell you to
find some real model for your hero?'
"Yes. he did"
"And he told me to find some real
woman for my heroine. His plan Is to
have me take you and you take mi for
a model without either knowing that
the other is doing so. He'll make an
announcement to that effect-just how
he'll manage it l don't know-then
publish the stories one Immediately
after the other"
what! Give us away?
Hell probably use the stories under
assumed names"
"Mr. Monlton is a very bright man."
Hell gain thousands in circulation
by this scheme alone"
The scribblers found the genial
warmth more conducive to lounging
than working. II they had hit upon
the EDITORS scheme their having done
so foiled 1t. They sat together under
the exuberant tropical foliage listen
ing to the birds sing or on the sands,
lulled by the music Of the splashing
waves. Now and again both Of them,
conscious of taking money for work
that they were not doing. made spas
hodic efforts to get something done.
They agreed to humor their employer
by taking each other for a model.
The a came and went before
they brought their work. to a finish.
When they returned they submitted
the manuscripts to the editor. who took
them home with him to read. One
day when they were both in the onice
he called them into his private room
together and said:
what have you two been doing
down there in Florida? sent you
down for a purpose. but I don't. see
that anything has come Of it."
Indeed. Mr.. Monkton." said Miss
Febiger. I'VE OWNED your purpose and
did the best we could
.Divined my purpose. eb2 What
was IT."
why. you had a scheme to get two
stories wherein the authors should
take each. other for a model"
"Oh. l did. did II"
II don't see what other purpose you
could have had said Winterhorne.
'Do you suppose | would have tried
to rope you in with SO thin q scheme
US that? II I did l got most awfully
sold. You've made Winterhorne out to
be a prig, and he's made you talk like
an IDIOT 's7
Both authors flushed at this.
II didn't send you OF for that pur-
pose at all. had a different one in
view. You. Miss Febiger. have been
trying to earn a living at scribbling.
which you are not fitted for. and were
breaking down. You needed a husband
70 support yon. I concluded that Win
'terhorne would Gil the bill and sent
you to Florida to make q match. I'm
pleased with.the success OF my scheme.
winterhorhe. permit me to conRratul-
you. Miss Febiger. 1 wish Jon
happiness"
For heavens sake" exclaimed tbe
former. chow did you get on to it!''
A VUVh.-M Il