m alone," said Connie. "They think it's smart to be
mysterious. Nothing happened at all. That's what they call being funny."

"Tell it, Lark." Carol's voice was so intense that it impressed even
skeptical Connie and derisive Fairy.

Lark raised the glowing eyes once more, leaned forward and said
thrillingly:

"It's the Literary Career."

The silence that followed this bold announcement was sufficiently
dramatic to satisfy even Carol, and she patted Lark's knee approvingly.

"Well, go on," urged Connie, at last, when the twins continued silent.

"That's all."

"She's going to run the _Daily News_."

"Oh, I'll only be a cub reporter, I guess that's what you call them."

"Reporter nothing," contradicted Carol. "There's nothing literary about
that. You must take the whole paper in hand, and color it up a bit. And
for goodness' sake, polish up Mr. Raider's editorials. I could write
editorials like his myself."

"And you might tone down the family notes for him," suggested Fairy. "We
don't really care to know when Mrs. Kelly borrows eggs of the editor's
wife and how many dolls Betty got for Christmas and Jack's grades in
high school. We can get along without those personal touches."

"Maybe you can give us a little church write-up now and then, without
necessitating Mr. Raider as chairman of every committee," interposed
their father, and then retracted quickly. "I was only joking, of course,
I didn't mean--"

"No, of course, you didn't, father," said Carol kindly. "We'll consider
that you didn't say it. But just bear it in mind, Larkie."

Fairy solemnly rose and crossed the porch, and with a hand on Lark's
shoulder gave her a solemn shake. "Now, Lark Starr, you begin at the
beginning and tell us. Do you think we're all wooden Indians? We can't
wait until you make a newspaper out of the _Daily News_! We want to
know. Talk."

Thus adjured, Lark did talk, and the little story with many striking
embellishments from Carol was given into the hearing of the family.

"Five dollars a week," echoed Connie faintly.

"Of course, I'll divide that with Carol," was the generous offer.

"No, I won't have it. I haven't any literary brains, and I can't take
any of your salary. Thanks just the same." Then she added happily: "But
I know you'll be very generous when I need to borrow, and I do borrow
pretty often, Larkie."

For the rest of the week Lark's literary career was the one topic of
conversation in the Starr family.