our readers is so unanimously
adverse that Mr. Hutchins and I feel the need of proceeding cautiously.
Now, what would you say to our publishing the book on--ah--on your
account, as it were?"

"You want me to--" began Van Buren.

"To pay for the plates and advertising," said Mr. Waterbury. "We will
stand for the paper and the binding, and will act as your agents in the
distribution of the book, accounting to you for every copy printed and
sold."

"Is--is that quite _en regle_?" asked Van Buren dubiously.

"It is quite customary," replied Mr. Waterbury. "In fact, ninety per
cent of our business is conducted upon that basis."

"I see," said Van Buren.

"You hand us your check for twenty-five hundred dollars to cover the
expenses I have specified," continued the astute publisher, "and we
will publish your book, allowing you a royalty of fifty per cent on
every copy sold."

"I suppose the first edition would be--" said Van Buren hesitatingly.

"Five hundred copies," said Waterbury. "The smaller your first
edition, the sooner you are likely to go into a second, and, as you
know, it is a great advantage for a book to go into a second edition
quickly, if only for advertising purposes. Think it over, and let me
know this afternoon if you can. I have to leave for Chicago to-night,
and if we are to have 'The City of Credit' ready for the autumn trade,
we should begin work on it right away."

"I understand," said Van Buren. "Well--I--I guess it's all right.
It's only the principle of the thing--but if, as you say, it is quite
customary--why, yes. I'll give you my check now. Do you want it
certified?"

"That will not be at all necessary, Mr. Van Buren," said Waterbury
magnanimously. "We are quite aware that your own signature to a check
is a sufficient certification."

The afternoon train for Newport carried Van Buren back to the social
capital with a contract in his pocket, signed by Messrs. Hutchins &
Waterbury, assuring the early publication of "The City of Credit," but
in view of certain of its financial stipulations, jubilant as he was
over the success of his first real step toward fame, Van Buren did not
show it to Miss Tooker, as he might have done had it contained no
reference to a check on the Tenth National Bank of New York calling for
the payment of two thousand five hundred dollars to the Boston firm of
publishers.

III

In September "The City of Credit" was published, and widely advertised