Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-05-19

BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

| In ner conscious mind. IL was not M
extraordinarily good plot, yet, sine,
she had so many stories to write. eacf
one was worth remembering for flu
ture use.
It was seldom that Martha found
herself without her notebook.
However, Martha soon supplied her
lack by asking for a pencil from the
waiter and by making use of the menu
card.
The waiter brought in a savory crab
meat connection and set 1t before
Martha and so delicious was its flavor
that plots and the writing of plots were
entirely forgotten. She ate quickly,
paid the waiter hurriedly and went
swiftly out of the restaurant and along
Broadway.
The rather serious-looking young
| man who took the chair vacated by
Martha was interested sufficiently in
his menu card to glance at both front
| and back of IL. On the front he saw
names Of dainty edibles from which
| he made a selection and ON the back
he found Martha's hurriedly written
plot for a story.
"This is more than I prayed for"
murmured the young man, and pro-
ceeded to read all that he could of
Martha's almost illegible writing; "a
story to read and a good lunch all for
forty cents"
He had scarcely finished the story
and decided that it wasn't bad, but 1t
could be wonderfully improved, when
a stormy-eyed girl came into the res
taurant and stood beside him. Look
ing up, John Durant questioned with
his eyes.
MAY I please have the menu card
you just put in your pocket? Martha
demanded. II left 1t here but a mo-
ment ago."
"Sit down." suggested Durant and
stood up as If welcoming a friend. II
want to talk to you about the story
If 1t really belongs to you"
eyes, thank you" she said in an
swer to his request that she join him
in a cup Of coffee.
"Now," Durant said, when he had
Martha comfortably established behind
the coffee and small sherbet, Il
want TO tell you that while the story
written on this menu is rather well con-
ceived / can give you far better mate
rial for the ending" He proceeded to
outline the story, but brought a Won
derful climax into it that quite aston
ished Martha.
"Ohl That is heaps better" she ex-
claimed enthusiastically.
Rather good" assented Durant,
thinking of the eyes. "Now If you
write that story as have outlined it
and send 1t to the Sunlight Magazine
feel reasonably sure that you will
get a nice check In return. 1t looks to !
me as if that story is just in their
line"
at is very good of you to suggest the
Sunlight 1 hadn't quite hoped to land
a story there. Do you know who the
editor isr'
His name is -" Durant pondered
a moment, "Durant. John Durant.
Send it to him personally. You'll get
better attention"
Martha had arisen and her hand was
extended to him. "If sell the story /
should like to know my collaborator's
she said.
81 prefer my name to remain a Sc
cret. You might be tempted to hurl
me into the limelight of fame along
with yourself. l will watch the Sun
light Magazine, however, and take
great interest in seeing the story
here" He dismissed Martha with a
slight inclination of the head.
Martha was torn between pique and
elation over the story. She went d.
,ectly to her studio and worked the
'est of the day. When the story was
finished Martha reread and polished
[, made an extra copy and sent it to
he editor Of Sunlight.
Ten days passed before Martha
heard from her story. Then she re-
,eived note saying the editor wanted
% speak with her about few changes
n the story, and she went to the office
If the Sunlight Magazine.
John Durant arose from the editorial
hair to greet her. Martha was so tax
N aback when she recognized the
1oung man Of the restaurant that a
quick color sprang into her cheeks.
"Oh" she exclaimed. $50 you are
John Durantw She felt intensely fool
sh after that remark.
II knew would meet you sooner or
ater," said Durant, with deliberate
meaning behind his serious eyes. ''That
vas my reason for Withholding my
name from you" He looked long and
frankly into Martha's eyes. "And now
'or business" he said with smile that
she found delightful; "this story is
worth two hundred dollars to me, II
you are willing to make some slight
changes. Are your