"tis gone--to the pewblisher?"

m. de l'isle, about to enter his double gate, had paused. in his home, overhead, a clock was striking five of the tenth day after that second reading in the castanados' parlor. the energetic inquiry was his.

a single step away, in the door of the iron-worker's shop, beloiseau, too quick for chester, at whose elbow he stood, replied: "tis gone better! tis gone to the editor--of the greatez' magazine of the worl'!"

"bravo! sinze how long?"

"a week," chester said.

"hah! and his rip-ly?"

"hasn't come yet."

"ah, look out, now! look out he don' steal that! you di'n' write him: 'wire answer'? you muz' do that! i'll pay it myseff!"

"i thought i'd wait one more day. he may have other manuscripts to consider."

"mr. chezter, that manuscrip' is not in a prize contess; 'tis only with itseff! you di'n' say that?"

"i--implied it--as gracefully as i could."

"ah! graze'--the h-only way to write those fellow, tha'z with the big stick! 'wire h-answer!'"

beloiseau lifted a finger: "i don' think thad way. firz' place, big stick or no, that hiztorie is sure to be accept'."

m. de l'isle let out a roar that seemed to tear the lining from his throat: "aw-w-w! tha'z not to compel the agceptanze; tha'z to scare them from stealing it! and to privend that, there's another thing you want to infer them: that you billong to the louisiana branch of the authors' protegtive h-union! ah, doubtlezz you don't--billong; but all the same you can infer them!"

beloiseau's response crowded chester's out: "well, they are maybe important, those stratagem'; but to me the chieve danger is if maybe that editor shou'n' have the sagacitie--artiztic--commercial--to perceive the brilliancy of thad story."

"never mine! in any'ow two days we'll know. scipion! the day avter those two, tha'z a pewblic holiday--everything shut!"

"yes, well?"

"if that news come, 'accepted,' all of us we'll be so please' that we'll be compel to egsprezz that in a joy-ride! and even if 'rifused,' we'll need that joy-ride to swallow the indignation."

"ah! but with whose mash-in', so it won't put uz in bankrup'cy?"

"with two mash-in'--the two of thorndyke-smith! he's offer' to borrow me those whiles he's going to be accrozz the lake. you'll drive the large, me the small."

"hah! tha'z a gran' scheme. at the en', dinner at antoine', all the men chipping in! castanado--dubroca--me--mr. chezter, eh?"

"with the greatest pleasure if i'm included."

"include'--hoh! by the laws of nature!" m. de l'isle went on up-stairs.

"we had a dinner like that," beloiseau said, "only withoud the joy-ride and withoud those three mlles. chapdelaine, juz' a few week' biffo' we make' yo' acquaintanze. that was to celebrade that great victory in france and same time the news of savety of our four boys ad the front."

chester stood astounded. "what four boys?"

"you di'n' know abboud those? ah, well, tha'z maybe biccause we don' speak of them biffo' those ladies chapdelaine. an' still tha'z droll you di'n' know that, but tha'z maybe biccause each one he's think another he's tol' you, and biccause tha'z not a prettie cheerful subjec', eh? yes, they are two son' of dubroca and castanado, soldier', and two of de l'isle and me, aviateur'."

"and up to a few weeks ago they were all well?"

"ah, not well--one wounded, one h'arm broke, one trench-fivver, but all safe, laz' account."

"tell me more about them, beloiseau. you know i don't easily ask personal questions. tell me all i'm welcome to know, will you?"

"i want to do that--to tell you all; but"--m. ducatel, next neighbor above, was approaching--"better another time--ah, rene, tha'z a pretty warm evening, eh?"