ll to see
you at twelve o'clock. Please remain in."

He gave the man Florence's address, and he departed with the telegram.
Franks looked up at the clock.

He thought for a little longer. Anderson opened the door of his room and
called him.

"Is that you, Franks?"

"Yes, sir."

"May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Certainly," replied Franks. He went into his chief's room and shut the
door.

"I have been thinking, Franks," said Mr. Anderson, "whether we do well
to encourage that extremely pessimistic writing which Miss Florence
Aylmer supplies us with."

"Do well to encourage it?" said Franks, opening his eyes very wide.

"I have hesitated to speak to you," continued Mr. Anderson, "because you
are engaged to the young lady, and you naturally, and very justly, are
proud of her abilities; but the strain in which she addresses her public
is beginning to be noticed, and although her talent attracts, her
morbidity and want of all hope will in the end tell against the
_Argonaut_, and even still more against the _General Review_. I wish you
would have a serious talk with her, Franks, and tell her that unless she
alters the tone of her writings--my dear fellow, I am sorry to pain you,
but really I cannot accept them."

Franks uttered a bitter laugh.

"You are very likely to have your wish, sir," he said. "I am even now
writing for the manuscript for the fourth story which you know was
advertised in the last _Argonaut_."

"I believe she will always write according to her convictions."

"And that is what pains me so much," continued Mr. Anderson. "I have
myself looked over her proofs, and have endeavoured to infuse a cheerful
note into them; but cutting won't do it, nor will removing certain
passages. The same miserable, unnatural outlook pervades every word she
says. I believe her mind is made that way."

"You are not very complimentary," said Franks, almost losing his temper.
He was quiet for a moment, then he said slowly: "We are very likely to
have to do without Miss Aylmer. I begin to think that she is a very
strange girl. She has offered to release me from my engagement; in fact,
she has declared that she will not go on with it, and says that she
cannot furnish us with any more manuscripts."

"Then, in the name of Heaven, what are we to do for the next number?"
said Mr. Anderson. "Look through all available manuscripts at once, my
dear fellow; there is not a moment to lose."

"I'll do better than that,"