"so it's no use wasting talk on
it. One's all I want. Another one wouldn't be no good but to clutter up
the house."

"Just so," said Eliph'. "I don't want to sell you another. To sell this
book is the smallest part of my trouble. It is a book that sells itself.
I only need to show it, to sell it. Wherever it falls open it attracts
the attention with a gem of thought or a flower of knowledge, perhaps
the language of gems, or the language of flowers, how to cure boils, how
to preserve fruit, each page offers something of value to the mind. A
copy of this book in the house is a friend in sickness or in health,
a help in business and a companion in pleasure; to the agent it is a
source of steady and continuous income. One copy sells another."

"I said before that I don't want another," said Miss Sally shortly.

"Let us talk about something else," said Eliph' Hewlitt, coughing
politely behind his hand. "I'll be glad to, but I do not blame you for
bringing up the subject of the work I am selling. I make it a rule never
to talk book out of business hours, but I am not sensitive, as some book
agents are. When Jarby's Encyclopedia of Knowledge and Compendium of
Literature, Science and Art is mentioned I am not offended; I am not
ashamed of my business--I enjoy it. I could talk of the merits of this
unequaled work day and night without stopping and yet not do it full
justice, but I don't. When my work is done I stop talking book. I might,
to enliven conversation, quote from the 'Five Hundred Ennobling Thoughts
from the World's Greatest Authors, Including the Prose and Poetical Gems
of All Ages,' containing, as it does, the best thoughts of the greatest
minds, suitable for polite and refined conversation, sixty-two solid
pages of the, with vingetty portraits of the authors, and a short
biographical sketch of each, including date and place of birth, date and
place of death, if dead, et cetery. Or I might, to brighten a passing
moment, propound one or more of the 'Six Hundred Perplexing Puzzles,'
page 987, including charades, conundrums, quaint mathematical catches,
et cetery, compiled to brighten the mind and puzzle the wits, suitable
for young or old, for grave or gay. It is a book that meets every want
of every day, is neatly and durably bound, and the price is only five
dollars."

Miss Sally turned as if to run away, but Eliph' put out his hand and
touched her arm lightly.

"But I don't," he said. "I don't quote, and I don'