Show A story of a novelist a pretty girl and her father legaj tender valentine 1 I by WILLI S copyright bisoi B i T 1 1 3 tar 4 t H ditth WINSLOW a stranger to niest niost 0 the club diners had been introduced by his friend the toastmaster our coining novelist and had responded brilliantly to a ti ite ilia was beyond comparison the speech of the evening and nobody applauded it more enthusiastically than mr barton the banker the wine may have had somewhat to do with warming the cackles cockles of that heart but tt was young Win personality more than anything else that stirred him out of hie usual stoicism later in the evening sir barton an introduction and led edgar to the reading room where lift might have him all to himself mellowed by than it was djs custom tn drink und tempted by the great bankers ing interest told 0 hie per history and of ills ambition ho had really little yet ho eald some short and a few erdea in the magazines were the sum 0 lila achievement but lie had long cherish edthe central idea 0 a novel which when written would lio hoped it was profoundly impressive the way he modestly refrained baying what lie hoped sir barlon was than ever un cpr the apell 0 the young mans delightful and the wine why was the great novel unwritten the banker had ilis suspicions he shrewd questions adroitly invited confidences and at last convinced himself then having fixed a date when edgar should dine with him and his family he reluctantly let the interesting te guest rejoin the general company hour or to hat in liand bade winslow good night handing him a sealed envelope with the request eliat he look over abia manuscript when he reached home in his little hall bedroom late that night Edgar opened the envelope and found in currency accompanied by a friendly note which begged a thousand pardons protested that the paltry loan was made in the interest ot literature expressed the hope that U would enable the author to write the great novel at once and assured him that mr barton was his ardent admirer mr barton and it might have added to some extent the wine M H f r H i 1 mcf t the credit 0 hie good enso be I 1 sald edgar did not deem insulted if ho felt a touch of aln it was because lie had invited chii aid by too freely of his allf jirs hut alio was ho afford lirlie circumstances to accept the loan he ada shamefully ir 10 his findly old landlady and knew that slie needed money there were other debts too a few small amounts by arlenda who could afford such generosity and then the to write tha novel he ended the controversy in his mind by to sena a promissory note to sir starton due on the esth of the following february this seemed bust adf he figured it would give him time to write and dispose of the novel for hope you know springs eternal in breast a fact which by the way Is a great thing tor literature air barton was a little ashamed of morning to the was a mere vesi pocket amount but the principle of the thing wae the earne he had let his emotions get the better ot him in a matter of money and that was not business moreover ho had invited an young fellow ta dine at ilia house anil there was no telling to what annoyances that indiscretion might lead tho banker was a bit apol in his welcome alien edgar came to the dinner the young man did not notice it ills attention waa too much absorbed by alio striking beauty of the daughter who stood beside her father ehfe meeta ing pt their eyes waa like the touch of two electrified wires in that instant a spark was struck which time was to fan into raging alame airs barton too soon yielded to the spell of edgars winsome ways and despite the mild ot her husband ocene d tho door ot her home to the charming author usual in such case the head of alie house was the foot of ali r class in johnt of knowledge to was going on it was only when mr aarone Ua rone consent was asked as a sort of formal that he learned how tar matters had progressed then he iut his toot down young linblow was well enough in a waya very pleasant ellow lu fact tor once in awhile but oli well he was not to be considered in any other light auf he was considered and amid copious tears at eliat why my child the banker ald under his daughters grief he ft dollar to his name he cant even manage for one to say nothing of two he Is livingst livi ngat this moment on borrowed capital with able hope of being able to pay it back oh yes he has alveva answered confidently 1 I know all about ithac and you were a dear good papa to let him have it itell pay it back see and with good interest just wait till his novel cocce papa it you only knew how grateful he is to grateful or ungrateful my dear said mr barton 1 I dont believe he hlll ever pay it how many of the novels written ever see daylight not one in a thousand and of those that are published not one in a hundred yields anything tor the author but edgar is different the daughter persisted 1 I am sure it will succeed oh ibish you could hear himstead him tead it you would eay so yourself ablio regaled her faglier portions of it that she biad learned by heart literally by heart and her beautiful trust in the conquering power of the ehe loved warmed barlon even more alia the wine at the club dinner had done to ovoid being led to do something sentimentally foolish again he went away to think alone and the wise result ot hla meditation was that ho convince hie daughter rather than rule her against her convictions ivin elowe note would be due in less than a month and the banker knew enough ot tho situation to be that it would not be paid at maturity it it were hot then alveva her aielt tielt might see the in reasonable light at any rate ehe would be likely to accept the compromise ot postponement and there was hope in even that it was st valentines day but edgar Wi et anding in the morning by his hall bedroom window was thinking of something more important than paper hearts for weeks he had watt ed in painful anxiety for the verdict of the publisher to whom he had submitted hia novel bay after day he had HE LOOKED VACANTLY OUT AT THE DESERTED STREET r 7 watched the postman come and go leaving nothing for him on of february he an urgent letter to the publisher begging him to render his decision before the tor thought he yah the book accepted I 1 can raise hibey on my pros mr bartoi must be prompt ly paid now it waa ath and detill tio answer had come trilling whistle up the street raised his sash and leaned out at eliy window the postman was coming hi way would he pass no he turned in and rang tho basement bell the young author closed the window and hastened to the head ot the the housemaid wae coming up how ajo aly he plodded winslow ran down to meet her calling over the banister anything for me mary yes mr an inels ine ls th only ones go t guess look she had taken a gaudy comic from the envelope addressed herself to and was studying etu dying the verae beneath the hideous picture edgar all impatience took the two lettera addressed to him and with a kindly word to mary sprang joyously up the stairs nd shut himself in his room with trembling angere ho tore open the envelope bearing the publisher return card the letter was abort and to the point the manuscript the publisher regretted 0 o say was not available it would be returned by express that day for a long time edgar stood looking vacantly out at tho deserted estreet with its deep drifts of snow from which gusts of wind swept up thin clouds and hurled them hissing here and but tho desolation in ills breast WAS bleaker than that of the scene outside ifa had done ills beet and failed that was the dead ening thought he had put his very boul into this story yes and more he biad put somewhat of beautiful boul into it for ever since he had known her she had been not only hia inspiration but also alie model of all eliat was lovely n his feminine creations true the limitations of language had confined him to the merest suggestion of those finer feelings to which he thrilled as he wrote but he had done his best and under the most favorable conditions possible this story was not worthy of publication he could not hope ever to write one that would be and alveva was it farewell to her also from the depths of his despair he tried to look the situation honestly in the face must she not now lose her confidence in his power to win the world that simple joyous confidence which had encouraged him sometimes to feel such boundless power within himself must phenoi sh enoi now take him from the lofty pedestal on which her love had placed him so then his life was not worth living since Us one great purpose for months had been to acquire indeed that pt character which ehe in her sweet unquestioning faith had ascribed tp him in that hour of overwhelming distress he had forgotten the other letter now however he began tearing it open listlessly nothing har thought that anybody might haye to say to him ih a typewritten communication could be of the slightest interest now yet in the next moment he with a SOO bill ill one hand a plain leaf of paper bearing two typewritten line the other and a multitude of struggling errio llone in hie breast through A gathering inest in his read the two friend who ie not expert at kass you to accept this valentine to hie mind there was something pathetic in the wretched lack of rhyme und rhythm for it indicated to him BY HE EXCLAIMED only an innocent attempt of one ain in he ways of deceit to conceal her identity god her ho murmured fervently kissing the page she ahall never know how pitifully her subterfuge haa failed lie spent the rest of the forenoon writing long letter to alveva Alv lva this was easier than to confess himself a failure to her face lie told her that some kind anonymous friend had sent money enough to enable him to pay hia debt to her father but that he must now cast about for employment for literature that sweet dream was over early next morning a messenger brought hastily written note in which alveva told him 0 o be sure to call that evening and bring his manuscript papa wants to hear it sherald she sald when edgar paid bis deb at the bank that day mr barton added his testimony to his daughters saying come to dinner then we can get at the reading earlier in the library fhay evening the banker with a good cegur between his teeth leaned buck in life great morocco char and put an arm about alveva who on a close beside him As adgar deeper and deepen nto etory began to feel the pleasure he bad known in writing it bl embarrassment barras departed and his voice became rich with that melodious ity which had first attracted mr barton at the club dinner then the scene depleted the characters brought out the noble thoughts that strode through the tale all the more becciu bec siu clothed in tile garb of simple bartons cigar had gone out he forward tensely lie was more thary interested he was by georee he exclaimed as the read at cr rounded a climax arcati if great edgar laid the manuscript aside i go on eald the banker eagerly please go on mr winslow mr bartan added with equal earnestness bright eyes danced with the pleasure 0 pride the end 0 it was that edgar read until after midnight then leffa the manuscript with barton who he could not go to sleep until be had learned how it all came out 1 the next afternoon the banker met alie head of the publishing house by telephonic appointment bo you ever read manuscript yourself mr bartan asked r not often only in very special i cases the publisher answered well said the banker this Is very special case I 1 wish you would read ahia one at once and send abill to me tor your trouble in two days the publisher called at the bank there was no bill he said on the contrary the obligation was or his side and he should like to make arrangements for bringing out the book at once do you know that your house rejected this manuscript day before yes berday ler day t learned so this morning the author seemed to be in unreasonable haste and it was sent back without reading you know we get so many worthless manuscripts we hardly ex one to be worth reading anyway A few months later when edgar fortune was assured the banker listened to his plea and with a merry twinkle in hia eye answered sir you cant have her youve back that five hundred M what five hundred the valentine I 1 sent you you mr barton yes sir to be brutally frank about t I 1 wanted to see whether you nere S one of those geniuses who dont pay their they have the money now honor bright edbur how much dla you have left after you took up that f note about 2 and no prospect ot any more hang ed ita think id have had the nerve to ay it under those conditions f I 1 perhaps said edgar it you lad been anybody but father |