Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-07
Seuen Keys to Baldpate
BY EARL DERR BICGERS
Copyright by Bobbs- Merrill Co

the rubber trees Billy Magee-Billy
Magee who sat alone in the silence
on Baldpate mountain. Few knew of
his departure. This was the night Of
that stupid attempt at theatricals at
the Plaza; stupid i'm itself, but gay,
almost giddy, since Helen Faulkner
was to be there This was the night
of the dinner to Carey at the club
This was the night-of many divert
ing things
Mr.. Magee picked up a magazine.
He wondered how they read in the old
days, by eandle-light. He wondered
II they would have found his own
stories worth the strain on the eyes.
And he also wondered If absolute sol
itudo was quite the thing necessary
to the composition of the novel that
should forever silence those who
sneered at his ability.
Absolute solitude Only the cracllle
of the fire, the roar of the wind and
the ticking OF his watch bore him
company. lie STROBE to the window
and looked down at the few dim
lights that proclaimed the existence
of Upper Asquewan Falls. Some
where down there, was the CONNER
clal House Somewhere the girl who
had wept so bitterly in that gloomy
little waiting-room. She was only
three miles away, and the thought
cheerod Mr.. Magee. After all, he was
not on Il desert island.
And yet-he was alone, intensely,
almost painfully, alone. Alone in q
vast, moaning house that must be his
only home until he could go back to
the gay city with his masterpiece.
What q masterpiece, AS though with
a surgeons knife it would lay bare
the hearts of men. No tricks of
plot, no
Mr.. Magee paused. For sharply in
the silence the bell of his room tele-
phone rang out.
He stood for a moment gazing in
wonder, his heart beating swiftly, his
eyes upon the instrument on the wall.
1t was II house phone; he knew that
ii could only be rung from the
switchboard in the hall below I'm
going mad already" he remarked, and
took down the receiver.
a blur of talk, an electric mutter-
ing, q click, and all was still.
Mr.. Magee opened the door and
stepped out into the shadows. He
heard voice below. Noiselessly he
crept TO the landing and gazed down
into the office. a young man sat at
lne telephone SWllciDOaIu. MT. Ma
gee could see in the dim light of a
solitary candle that he was u person
OF rather hilarious raiment. The can
die stood on the top of the safe. and
the door Of the latter swung open.
| Sinking down on the steps in the
| dark. Mr.. Magee waited.
Hello" the young man was say
! ing, how do you work this thing,
anyhow? I've tried every peg but the
right one Hello-hellol ] want long
/ characterization, 2S76 West-Mr.
Andy Rutter viii you get him for
me, sister,?
Another wait--a long one--ensued.
| The candle sputtered. The young
/ man tidgeted in his chair. At last
| he spoke again:
'Hello! Andy? Is that you. Andy :?
What's the good word? AS quiet as
/ the tomb of Napoleon. Shall close
up shop2 Sure. What next? Oh,
see here, Andy, I'd die up here. Did
you ever hit a place like this in win
| ter | can't--I--oh,, well, IL he says
so. Yes. could do that. But no
! longer. / couldn't stand It long. Tell
him that TzlI him everything's o.