Maurice Mangan, barrister-at-law, and author of
several important works not yet written. I took it up this afternoon to
that young fellow's rooms in Bruton Street, to get a receipt for the
money, for I thought that would satisfy you better; but I found he was
in Paris. Never mind. There is the check, and I am going to post it
directly, so that he will get it the moment he returns--"

"Maurice, you must ask Francie."

"I will not ask Francie," his friend said, promptly. "Francie must
attend to her own affairs until she has acquired the legal right to
control me and mine. You needn't make a fuss about a little thing like
that, Linn. I can easily make it up; in fact, I may say I have already
secured a means of making it up, as a telegram I received this very
afternoon informs me. Here is the story: I can talk to you, if you may
not talk to me, and I want you to know that everything is straight and
clear and arranged. About ten days ago I had a letter from a syndicate
in the North asking me if I could write for them a weekly article--not a
London correspondent's news-letter--but a series of comments on the
important subjects of the day, outside politics. Outside politics, of
course; for I dare say they will supply this article to sixty or eighty
country papers. Very well. You know what a lazy wretch I am; I declined.
Then yesterday, when I was dawdling about the house here, it suddenly
occurred to me that after all I couldn't do better than sit down and
write to my enterprising friends in the North, and tell them that they
could have that weekly column of enlightenment, if they hadn't engaged
any one else, and if they were prepared to pay well enough for it. This
afternoon comes their answer; here it is: 'Offer still open? will four
hundred suit you?' Four hundred pounds a year will suit me very well."

"Maurice, you're taking on all that additional work on my account,"
Lionel managed to say, by way of feeble protest.

"I am taking it on to cure myself of atrocious habits of indolence. And
look at the educational process. I shall have to read all the important
new books, and attend the Private Views, and examine the working local
government; bless you! I shall become a compendium of information on
every possible modern subject. Then think of the power I shall wield;
let Quirk and his gang beware!--I shall be able to kick those
log-rollers all over the country--there will be a buffet for them here,
and a buffet for them t