wondered what the Fates had in store for her.

Franks at last came to the final word; he hesitated, half looked up,
then his fingers trembled. He turned the page. Bertha saw by the look on
his face that he had absolutely forgotten her. She gave a brief sigh:
the time of tension was over, the victory was won. She rose and
approached him.

"I can take that to another house," she said.

"No, no," said Franks; "there is stuff in this. It is quite up to the
usual mark. So Florence gave it to you to bring to me. Now, you know, I
do not quite like the tone nor does my chief; but the talent is
unmistakable."

"You will publish it, then?"

"Certainly. I see it is the usual length. If you will pardon me, as
things are pressing, I will ring and give this to the printers."

"One moment first. You think that manuscript has been written by
Florence Aylmer?"

"Why not? Of course it has!" He looked uneasily from the paper in his
hand to the girl who stood before him. "What do you mean?"

"I have something to tell you. You may be angry with me, but I do not
much care. _I_ possess the genius, not Florence Aylmer; _I_ am the
writer of that story. Florence Aylmer wrote one thing for you, a
schoolgirl essay, which you returned. I wrote the papers which the
public liked; _I_ wrote the stories which the public devoured. I am the
woman of genius; I am the ghost behind Florence Aylmer; I am the real
author. You can give up the false: the real has come to you at last."

"You must be telling me an untruth," said Franks. He staggered back, his
face became green, his eyes flashed angrily.

"I am telling you the truth; you have but to ask Florence herself. Has
she not broken off her engagement with you?"

"She has, and a good thing, too," he muttered under his breath.

"Ah! I heard those words, though you said them so low, and it is a good
thing for you. You would never have been happy with a girl like
Florence. I know her well. I don't pretend that I played a very nice
part; but still I am not ashamed. I want money now; I did not want money
when I offered my productions to Florence. I hoped that I should be a
very rich woman. My hopes have fallen to the ground; therefore I take
back that talent with which Nature has endowed me. You can give _me_
orders for the _Argonaut_ in the future. You will kindly pay _me_ for
that story. Now I think I have said what I meant to say, and I wish you
good-morning."

"But you must stay a moment, Mis