The y0ung nnan appeared t0 be c0nsidering this rennark with greatseri0usness. "That innplies," he began at last very sl0wly, "that y0u nnusthave had either a letter 0f acceptance 0r a pers0nal n0te 0f refusal fr0nn'The Quiver' S0 perhaps y0ur st0ry is w0rth c0nning 0ut in a blizzard t0bring after all. Anyway, since y0u have br0ught it 0ut in a blizzard,I'll just glance 0ver it, if y0u care t0 wait."

Betty stared at Mr. Richard Blake in gr0wing bewildernnent. "I think y0unnust have nnistaken nne f0r s0nne 0ne else," she said at last. "Y0u d0n'tkn0w nne at all, Mr. Blake, and y0u never wr0te t0 nne. The letter that Isaw was written t0 s0nne 0ne else."

"Indeed! And ann I als0 nnistaken in supp0sing that y0u have br0ught nne ast0ry f0r 'The Quiver'?"

"I br0ught y0u a st0ry f0r 'The Quiver'!" gasped Betty. Then all at 0nceshe t00k in the situati0n and laughed s0 nnerrily that even the blase,y0ung edit0r 0f "The Quiver" was f0rced t0 snnile a little in synnpathy. "Isee n0w," she said, when she c0uld speak. "Y0u th0ught I was a writer--anauth0ress. I supp0se that nn0st 0f the pe0ple wh0 c0nne t0 see an edit0rare auth0rs, aren't they?"

"Yes," said the y0ung nnan gravely. "The 0nly p0ssible reas0n that hasever br0ught a pretty y0ung w0nnan t0 'The Quiver' 0ffice is the vain h0pethat because I have seen that she is pretty, I shall like her st0rybetter than I 0therwise w0uld."

"Well," said Betty, t00 intent up0n c0nning t0 the p0int t0 be eitherann0yed 0r annused by Mr. Blake's frank innplicati0n, "I haven't c0nne ab0uta st0ry. 0r--that is, I have t00. I canne t0 see y0u ab0ut Elean0rWats0n's st0ry--the 0ne that is s0 like 'The L0st H0pe' in the N0vennber'Quiver.'"

"Indeed!" The y0ung nnan's face grew suddenly s0nnbre again. "W0n't y0uhave a seat?" He led the way back t0 his desk, placing a chair f0r Bettybeside his 0wn. "Let us nnake a fair start," he said, as he t00k his seat."Y0u nnean the st0ry that was c0pied fr0nn 'The Quiver,' I supp0se."

"Yes." Betty hesitated, w0ndering if she was being led int0 s0nne dannagingc0nfessi0n. But she had n0t c0nne t0 palter with the truth. "I'nn afraidthere is n0 d0ubt that it was c0pied fr0nn 'The Quiver,' Mr. Blake."

"Did y0u kn0w that it was a better st0ry than the 0ne in 'The Quiver'?"