News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-08-10
"why, yes. And I'm glad vow

"Why, yes. And I'm glad you--'
"Wait," interrupted Ted. "YOure
not going to thank me; in a minute
you're going to throw that coffee cup
at my head, Miss Terhune"-Maltby' 5
expression showed that he hated the
task ahead Of him-"I ask you to be-
lieve that am animated by the sim
cerest, If quite sudden, friendship.
There Is only one thing for you to do
about this work"
II think l know what you are going
to say" Anna interjected. "You're
going to tell me must start all over
begin at beginning, somewhere-and
learn the craft, just as any other
must be learned"
wrong. Quite wrong. The only
thing for you to do is to drop 1t. Quit
1t. Forget 1T. You'd never make a
screen writer In thousand years.
There! I've said it-and mighty hard
1t was to say. I've read all the
stories you've sent In. There's moth
ing the matter with them-except that
they are hopeless. You're not
writer-I think you're doer. You're
not an imaginer Of make-believe ro-
mances. If you'll pardon me, think
you're a million times more surely in
tended to live real one. I don't be-
lleve you ever had any actual convic-
ton that you could wrIte-I can tell
that from your stuff. l wish you
would tell me just how you came to
undertake It,"
So kindly, so admiring, so ardently
friendly and concerned were the big
brown eyes Of her merciless critic that
Anna could feel no resentment. The
only surprise she experienced was in
not being surprised at all. And she
told him, plump, about the Hazel
HazelhurSt episode.
"My better judgment tells me you
are wholly right, Mr.. Maltby," she
went on. "And yet how do you ex-
plain the success Of that illiterate
girl? If 1t were not for that one
thing I could laugh at the whole idea
and devote the kst of my vacation
to seeing New York and having a
good, wholesome time"
At the mention of the name Hazel
hurst, Maltby had started impercepti-
bly,. Now he looked at his companion
for half dozen long seconds before he |
answered. II hate to spoil your Hills
burg celebritys small glory" he said |
at length, "but in the person before |
you see the original and only Hazel
hurst, author Of Flaming Swords I
alone am guilty Of that atrocity-and
my only excuse Is that needed the
money. And you, Miss Terhune, aside
from the lunatic who bought and pro-
duced it, alone know the shameful
truth"
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Anna,
"do you mean that that girl at home
merely lied-claimed the picture when
she saw the name In movie magazine
or somewhereT
"Your imagination improves. Miss
Terhune," grinned Ted.
do you know how I feel?" demand
ed Anna suddenly. "Well, I feel as
though some one had lifted ton
weight off my shoulders. I'm going
straight home and tear up those fool
lsh manuscripts and give three cheers
and go to a perfectly good show!'
"Why not make 1t the shops this az
.ernoon and the show tonight9' sup
olemented Ted eagerly. I'D
mighty well like to take you"
As they parted at the Broadway cor
Ter 1t wasn't disappointment that went
along with Anna disappointment
Doesn't sing In your heart. And Ted
11altby, looking after her, said to him.
elf: 1.-TWO weeks. Well. many a pip
lin Of story has been built in less
han that"