eed six a week, under the Colonel's
direction. He had his choice of working on space, at the rate of five
dollars per column, payment dependent upon publication; or of drawing a
fixed honorarium of ten dollars per week, whether called on for the
stipulated six articles or for no articles at all. Queed decided to
accept the fixed honorarium, hoping that there would be many weeks when
he would be called on for no articles at all. A provisional arrangement
to run a month was agreed upon.

"I have," said the Colonel, "already sketched out some work for you to
begin on. The legislature meets here in January. It is important to the
State that our whole tax-system should be overhauled and reformed. The
present system is a mere crazy-quilt, unsatisfactory in a thousand ways.
I suggest that you begin with a careful study of the law, making
yourself familiar with--"

"I am already familiar with it."

"Ah! And what do you think of it?"

"It is grotesque."

"Good! I like a clean-cut expression of opinion such as that, sir. Now
tell me your criticisms on the law as it stands, and what you suggest as
remedies."

Queed did so briefly, expertly. The Colonel was considerably impressed
by his swift, searching summaries.

"We may go right ahead," said he. "I wish you would block out a series
of articles--eight, ten, or twelve, as you think best--designed to
prepare the public mind for a thorough-going reform and point the way
that the reform should take. Bring this schedule to me to-morrow, if you
will be so good, and we will go over it together."

Queed, privately amused at the thought of Colonel Cowles's revising his
views on taxation, rose to go.

"By the bye," said the Colonel, unluckily struck by a thought, "I myself
wrote a preliminary article on tax reform a week or so ago, meaning to
follow it up with others later on. Perhaps you had best read that
before--"

"I have already read it."

"Ah! How did it strike you?"

"You ask me that?"

"Certainly," said Colonel Cowles, a little surprised.

"Well, since you ask me, I will say that I thought it rather amusing."

The Colonel looked nettled. He was by nature a choleric man, but in his
age he had learned the futility of disputation and affray, and nowadays
kept a tight rein upon himself.

"You are frank sir--'tis a commendable quality. Doubtless your work will
put my own poor efforts to the blush."

"I shall leave you to judge of that, Colonel Cowles."

The Colo