Barr, Robert: A Woman Intervenes. V1. Nov 11 2010
 

Robert Barr (September 16, 1849 – October 21, 1912) was a British-Canadian short story writer and novelist, born at Glasgow, Scotland. Robert Barr, a teacher, journalist, editor and novelist, born in Glasgow, Scotland and educated in Canada. In 1876 he became a member of the staff of the Detroit Free Press, in which his contributions appeared under the signature "Luke Sharp." In 1881 he removed to London, to establish the weekly English edition of the Free Press, and in 1892 he joined Jerome K Jerome in founding the Idler magazine, from whose co-editorship he retired in 1895. He was a prolific author, producing many popular novels of the day.

Excerpt
New York Argus sat at his desk with a deep frown on his face, looking out from under his shaggy eyebrows at the young man who had just thrown a huge fur overcoat on the back of one chair, while he sat down himself on another.
'I got your telegram,' began the editor. 'Am I to understand from it that you have failed?'
'Yes, sir,' answered the young man, without the slightest hesitation