The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-22
.MONKTON'S
SCHEME
By F. A. Mitchell

"Winterhorne. said MI. Monkton,
proprietor and manager of Monktons
Monthly Magazine. Il want story
written on certain lines. and you are
lust the man to do the job. Get away |
from the city. You can't do such work
in town. Go down to the Mascott
House: in Florida. where you won't
have ANYTHING to think of but your
creation. Here's a check for your eX-
penses going and coming, and Ill write
NV old friend Charlie Burton, the land
lord of the hotel, to send me the bill
for your keep.
Winterhorne was given the theme
lie was to work up and charged to find
a real model for his heroine. He was
much pleased ut the prospect before
him and started with light heart
On the way down he Lied to lay out
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 distract him at the no.
tel where he stayed. He was max
ing 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
here?'
What brought you?"
"Monkton sent me down to write
story OH special plan he's taken
desperate fancy to.
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.
81 wonder" said Winterhorne. what
he sent us to the same place fOr?"
Il can't imagine"
Hes got some scheme on hand
something for 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.
"W hatT'
"His scheme. Didn't he tell you to
find some real model for your hero?
Eyes 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 me 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. Monkton is very bright man.
F.. Hell gain thousands in circulation
by this scheme alone"
| The scribblers found the genial
warmth more conducive to lounging
than working. If they had hit upon
the editors scheme their having done
so foiled it. They sat together undo
/ the exuberant tropical foliage lis
fa 70 tue bf..:. M e ii D. the
lulled by the music of the splas 6nl
waves. Now and again both Of them
conscious of taking money for wOrl
that they were not doing. made spas
modic efforts to get something done
They agreed to humor their employer
by taking each other for a model.
The season came and went before
they brought their work to finish
When they returned they submitted
the manuscripts to the editor. who tool
them home with him to read. Ont
day when they were both in the Office
he called them into his private room
together and said:
"What have you two been doing
down there in Florida? | sent you
down for purpose. but I don't sex
that anything has come of it.
Indeed, Mr.. Monkton," said Miss
Febiger. I'VE OWNED your purpose and
did the best we could"
"Diyined my purpose, eh? What
was it?''
"Why. you had scheme to get two
stories wherein the authors should
take each other for model
ooh, did. did II"
81 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 scheme
as that? If did l got most awfully
sold. You've made Winterhorne out to
be a prig. and he's made you talk like
an idiot
Both authors flushed at this.
8" didn't send you off for that pur'
pose at all | had different one in
view You. Miss Febi@er. have been
trying to earn Il living at scribbling
| which you are not fitted for. and were
breaking down You needed husband
to support you. concluded that Win.
terhorne would Ell the bill and sent
| you to Florida to make Il match. I'm
pleased with the success of my scheme
Winterhorne permit me to cOngratu
late You. Miss Febiger. | wish you
happiness.
For heavens sake exclaimed the
former how did You get on to it"
"How? Why. sent third author
a woman. to write you both up. She's
got story that will place Monkton's
Magazine in the first rank of period
icals."
After little squeal of surprise from
Miss Febiger theye all broke into a
hearty laugh.