r and
stouter, and somewhat tired in his aspect, but every whit as genially
persuasive.

"He writes for a New York paper," said Lucinda to Sylvia, in exactly
the same tone which she had used previously. "He wants me to write a
piece for his paper on my first twenty-four hours under suspicion of
crime."

"And you are going to write it, aren't you, Miss Hart?" asked the
gentleman.

"Yes," replied Lucinda, with alacrity.

This time the gentleman looked a trifle suspicious. He pressed his
inquiry. "Can you let us have the copy by Wednesday?" he asked.

"Yes," said Lucinda. Her "yes" had the effect of a snap.

The gentleman talked a little more at length with regard to his
article, and Lucinda never failed with her ready "yes."

They were almost at the turn of the road, where Sylvia would leave
Lucinda, when a woman appeared. She was young, but she looked old,
and her expression was one of spiritual hunger.

"This lady writes for a Boston paper," said Lucinda. "She came
yesterday. She wants me to write a piece for her paper upon women's
unfairness to women."

"Based upon the late unfortunate occurrence at Miss Hart's hotel,"
said the woman.

"Yes," said Lucinda, "of course; everything is based on that. She
wants me to write a piece upon how ready women are to accuse other
women of doing things they didn't do."

"And you are going to write it?" said the woman, eagerly.

"Yes," said Lucinda.

"Oh, thank you! you are a perfect dear," said the woman. "I am so
much pleased, and so will Mr. Evans be when he hears the news. Now I
must ask you to excuse me if I hurry past, for I ought to wire him at
once. I can get back to Boston to-night."

The woman had left them, with a swish of a frilled silk petticoat
under a tailored skirt, when Sylvia looked at Lucinda. "You ain't
goin' to?" said she.

"No."

"But you said so."

"You'd say anything to get rid of them. I've said no till I found out
they wouldn't take it, so then I began to say yes. I guess I've said
yes, in all, to about seventeen."

"And you don't mean to write a thing?"

"I guess I ain't going to begin writing for the papers at my time of
life."

"But what will they do?"

"They won't get the pieces."

"Can't they sue you, or anything?"

"Let them sue if they want to. After what I've been through lately I
guess I sha'n't mind that."

"And you are telling every one of them you'll write a piece?"

"Of course I am. It's the only thing they'll