, 1921-09-24

ILL ~ E -
said Van BIbser. as they let
the theatre
Il don't know his frteni disseniei
slowly. Why
Wen. about that letter. for instance
Van Blbber continued. -The IDEA Of :
girl throwing n mar over Iiks that JUS
bccause some one sent her an anor-'
nous letter about hlmi OF course. Il
she'd really cared for the man shed
Fave given him q chance TO explain;
sic wouldn't have believed 4. at once
Still he added. maguanimously. IF She
hal asked him about It there wouldn't
have been any more play. The author
had 70 do something"
But Trayers disagreed -oh. I don'i
know he said. II think It's very true
to life myself. 7 know I'd hate to have
any one writing letters Like that about
me-
Van Bfbber laughed easily. Nice
sort OF friends you have" he said
They're your friends
Some Of them are Van BTbber cor
rected: but I think better CT them than
ing you should write ali the anonymous
letters to them you please about me"
That said Travers, m~ockfnEly. IS
because you're so good"
Not at all Van BTbSer answered.
hotly. at isn't whether tho letter told
the truth; the point IS that the girl is
willing to believe II. That's what I
object TO. That's where the chap who
wrote the play shows that he doesn't
know anything about women.-
well as I said" Traver repeated.
stubborniy. Il think you are altogether
wrong. She acted just as any OF the
girls we know would have acted, and,
as said. / should hate TO have IN
one write a letter Ike that TO my
friends.-
And as I said.- reiterated Van BIB
Der, warmly. you can write all the let
tiers you choose about me. and my
friends can stand IT. and SO can T.
Trnveru stopped and looked back over
his shoulder as they mounted the steps
Of the club. do you mean that?" he
asked. seriously.
II do sale Van Bibber. laughing.
Then they went into the club. and
scowled at all the other men as though
they were in~truders. and talked about
deviied kidneys.
Van Bibber slept peacefully that night
in spite OF the deviied kidneys. bur
Travers sat up until late composing an
anonymous letter. which>he hoped would
fall like a bomS-shell into the camp OF
his friends. The morning found him
still intent upon It and mischief. n
by the time he had finished breakfast
plans OF campaign were already
made
He nrst went to a typewriter in one
Of the big hotels, and dictated four let
tiers TO him announcing the date Of a
meeting for a charitable pur-
- ~ --T--- e. 49, -
dressed TO four different mt lie
tore up the letters when he reached the
but put he envelopes with their
ion-committal typewriter addresses
Il his pocket. On Sixth Avenue he pur-
Nased a half-dozen sheets Of cheap
paper. and carried them to his room.
where he locked himself in, and wrote
his left hand. on four separate
the following communication:
Dear Madam.-when Mr.. Van Bib
Der calls on you again. ask him how
well he knows Maysie Lindsey. II
he denies knowing her. ask him TO
show you the tintype OF the woman
which he wears in a locket on a chain
about his neck
"A Friend"
There said Traver.. proudly. at
think that Is calculated to spread doub
md confusion in 4 stoutest heart"
put the letters in the envelopes with
the type-written addresses. and posted
tnem that same morning. Then he
wrote to Van Bibber. and told him of
he had done.
And I call it a piece OF damned i'm
said that gentleman that
evening.
"VCura afraid nOvs aid Travars
Last night o could trust
your friends better than ! could. now
afraid"
That's not it, said Van Bibber. Il
can trust them. I don't care what you
said about me, but by sending letters
like that TO those girls o intimated
that they take an interest in me. that
they are more or less concerned about
me. which is a piece of presumption 1
wouldn't be guilty of myself, and a
thing which you had no business to
assume. Suppose they find out that you
wrote those letters. they'll ask me:
why did he send one to me? What
hzve I to DO with your Why shouIh I
care what women you know or don't
know?' II was impairment TO them.
that's what 1 say. You can leave me
out OF It entirely, but you had no bust
ness to put them in the light of caring
about me-
But they do cart about you. don't
they?" Travers asked, in~nocently.
That's not for me to say. nor you.
I'm ashamed of you Practical joking
is all very well between idiots like our
seiyes, but you had no business to drag
women into it"
Well" sighed Travers. you can't
make me rude by being rude yourself,
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