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involved was by no means of the most trying kind。 The great
strain on the intellectthe strain of inventionwas spared me
by my having real characters and events ready to my hand。 If I
had been called on to create； I should； in all probability； have
suffered severely by contrast with the very worst of those
unfortunate novelists whom Jessie had so rashly and so
thoughtlessly condemned。 It is not wonderful that the public
should rarely know how to estimate the vast service which is done
to them by the production of a good book； seeing that they are；
for the most part； utterly ignorant of the immense difficulty of
writing even a bad one。
The next day was fine； to my great relief； and our visitor； while
we were at work； enjoyed her customary scamper on the pony； and
her customary rambles afterward in the neighborhood of the house。
Although I had interruptions to contend with on the part of Owen
and Morgan； neither of whom possessed my experience in the
production of what heavy people call 〃light literature；〃 and both
of whom consequently wanted assistance； still I made great
progress； and earned my hours of repose on the evening of the
second day。
On that evening I risked the worst； and opened my negotiations
for the future with 〃The Queen of Hearts。〃
About an hour after the tea had been removed； and when I happened
to be left alone in the room with her； I noticed that she rose
suddenly and went to the writing…table。 My suspicions were
aroused directly； and I entered on the dangerous subject by
inquiring if she intended to write to her aunt。
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃I promised to write when the last week came。 If
you had paid me the compliment of asking me to stay a little
longer； I should have returned it by telling you I was sorry to
go。 As it is； I mean to be sulky and say nothing。〃
With those words she took up her pen to begin the letter。
〃Wait a minute；〃 I remonstrated。 〃I was just on the point of
begging you to stay when I spoke。〃
〃Were you； indeed？〃 she returned。 〃I never believed in
coincidences of that sort before； but now； of course； I put the
most unlimited faith in them！〃
〃Will you believe in plain proofs？〃 I asked； adopting her humor。
〃How do you think I and my brothers have been employing ourselves
all day to…day and all day yesterday？ Guess what we have been
about。〃
〃Congratulating yourselves in secret on my approaching
departure；〃 she answered； tapping her chin saucily with the
feather…end of her pen。
I seized the opportunity of astonishing her； and forthwith told
her the truth。 She started up from the table； and approached me
with the eagerness of a child； her eyes sparkling； and her cheeks
flushed。
〃Do you really mean it？〃 she said。
I assured her that I was in earnest。 She thereupon not only
expressed an interest in our undertaking； which was evidently
sincere； but； with characteristic impatience； wanted to begin the
first evening's reading on that very night。 I disappointed her
sadly by explaining that we required time to prepare ourselves；
and by assuring her that we should not be ready for the next five
days。 On the sixth day； I added； we should be able to begin； and
to go on； without missing an evening； for probably ten days more。
〃The next five days？〃 she replied。 〃Why； that will just bring us
to the end of my six weeks' visit。 I suppose you are not setting
a trap to catch me？ This is not a trick of you three cunning old
gentlemen to make me stay on； is it？〃
I quailed inwardly as that dangerously close guess at the truth
passed her lips。
〃You forget；〃 I said； 〃that the idea only occurred to me after
what you said yesterday。 If it had struck me earlier； we should
have been ready earlier； and then where would your suspicions
have been？〃
〃I am ashamed of having felt them；〃 she said； in her frank；
hearty way。 〃I retract the word 'trap；' and I beg pardon for
calling you 'three cunning old gentlemen。' But what am I to say
to my aunt？〃
She moved back to the writing…table as she spoke。
〃Say nothing；〃 I replied； 〃till you have heard the first story。
Shut up the paper…case till that time； and then decide when you
will open it again to write to your aunt。〃
She hesitated and smiled。 That terribly close guess of hers was
not out of her mind yet。
〃I rather fancy；〃 she said； slyly； 〃that the story will turn out
to be the best of the whole series。〃
〃Wrong again；〃 I retorted。 〃I have a plan for letting chance
decide which of the stories the first one shall be。 They shall be
all numbered as they are done； corresponding numbers shall be
written inside folded pieces of card and well mixed together； you
shall pick out any one card you like； you shall declare the
number written within； and； good or bad； the story that answers
to that number shall be the story that is read。 Is that fair？〃
〃Fair！〃 she exclaimed； 〃it's better than fair； it makes _me_ of
some importance； and I must be more or less than woman not to
appreciate that。〃
〃Then you consent to wait patiently for the next five days？〃
〃As patiently as I can。〃
〃And you engage to decide nothing about writing to your aunt
until you have heard the first story？〃
〃I do；〃 she said； returning to the writing…table。 〃Behold the
proof of it。〃 She raised her hand with theatrical solemnity； and
closed the paper…case with an impressive bang。
I leaned back in my chair with my mind at ease for the first time
since the receipt of my son's letter。
〃Only let George return by the first of November；〃 I thought to
myself； 〃and all the aunts in Christendom shall not prevent
Jessie Yelverton from being here to meet him。〃
THE TEN DAYS。
THE FIRST DAY。
SHOWERY and unsettled。 In spite of the weather； Jessie put on my
Mackintosh cloak and rode off over the hills to one of Owen's
outlying farms。 She was already too impatient to wait quietly for
the evening's reading in the house； or to enjoy any amusement
less exhilarating than a gallop in the open air。
I was； on my side； as anxious and as uneasy as our guest。 Now
that the six weeks of her stay had expirednow that the day had
really arrived； on the evening of which the first story was to be
read； I began to calculate the chances of failure as well as the
chances of success。 What if my own estimate of the interest of
the stories turned out to be a false one？ What if some unforeseen
accident occurred to delay my son's return beyond ten days？
The arrival of the newspaper had already become an event of the
deepest importance to me。 Unreasonable as it was to expect any
tidings of George at so early a date； I began； nevertheless； on
this first of our days of suspense； to look for the name of his
ship in the columns of telegraphic news。 The mere mechanical act
of looking was some relief to my overstrained feelings； although
I might have known； and did know； that the search； for the
present； could lead to no satisfactory result。
Toward noon I shut myself up with my collection of manuscripts to
revise them for the last time。 Our exertions had thus far
produced but six of the necessary ten stories。 As they were only；
however； to be read； one by one； on six successive evenings； and
as