ormation
that she was your aunt, and that you could tell me all about her."

"I shall be happy to," said Quincy; "but I can assure you it would be
much more enjoyable for you to hear it from herself. I hope you will
have that pleasure some day." And again adopting a bantering tone, "I
trust, fair lady, I shall not return this time from a bootless errand."

Alice listened again, as she had often done, until she heard the sound
of departing wheels, and then she fell to wondering whether her future
paths in life would continue to be marked out by this Sir Knight, who
was ever at her beck and call, and whether it was her destiny to always
tread the paths that he laid out for her.

Quincy was fortunate in finding Leopold at home.

"I'm glad you've come, Quincy," said he; "I was going to write you
to-night."

"What's up?" inquired Quincy.

"Please pass me that package of papers on the corner of the table,"
answered Leopold, being loath to rise from his recumbent position on the
lounge.

Quincy did as requested and took a seat beside Leopold.

"These," said Leopold, "are the proofs of the first writings of a
to-be-famous American author. Glad she took a man's name, so I don't
have to say authoress. Here," he continued, "are the proofs of the
story, Was it Signed? Cooper wishes it read and returned immediately.
Editors wish everything done immediately. They loaf on their end and
expect the poor author to sit up all night and make up for their
shortcomings. I'm a sort of editor myself, and I know what I'm talking
about. This lot," he continued, "will appear in 'The Sunday Universe' a
week from next Sunday. I had a copy made for Jameson to work from. Bruce
Douglas owes me four-fifty for expenses, necessary but not authorized."

"I will see that you are reimbursed," said Quincy; "want it now?" and he
made a motion to take out his pocketbook.

"No," replied Leopold, "I'm flush to-day; keep it till some time when
I'm strapped. Last, and most important of all, here are the proofs of
the story that is to appear in our monthly. Now, my advice to you is,
Quincy, seek the fair author at once, correct these proofs and have them
back to me within three days, or they'll go over and she'll be charged
for keeping the type standing, besides having her pay hung up for
another week."

"She won't mind that," said Quincy, with a laugh. "She's an heiress now,
with real and personal property valued at fifty thousand dollars. But
what a