. 'There's some
people,' he remarked, 'as thinks a lift can go up and down at once.'

Geraldine with a few bright and pleasant remarks ushered Henry directly
into the presence of Mark Snyder. Her companion was not in the office.

'Well,' Mr. Snyder expansively and gaily welcomed him, 'come and sit
down, my young friend.'

'Anything wrong?' Henry asked.

'No,' said Mark. 'But I've postponed publication of the _Q. C._ for a
month.'

In his letters Mr. Snyder always referred to _A Question of Cubits_ as
the _Q. C._

'What on earth for?' exclaimed Henry.

He was not pleased. In strict truth, no one of his innumerable admirers
was more keenly anxious for the appearance of that book than Henry
himself. His appetite for notoriety and boom grew by what it fed on. He
expected something colossal, and he expected it soon.

'Both in England and America,' said Snyder.

'But why?'

'Serial rights,' said Snyder impressively. 'I told you some time since I
might have a surprise for you, and I've got one. I fancied I might sell
the serial rights in England to Macalistairs, at my own price, but they
thought the end was too sad. However, I've done business in New York
with _Gordon's Weekly_. They'll issue the _Q. C._ in four instalments.
It was really settled last week, but I had to arrange with Spring
Onions. They've paid cash. I made 'em. How much d'you think?'

'I don't know,' Henry said expectantly.

'Guess,' Mark Snyder commanded him.

But Henry would not guess, and Snyder rang the bell for Geraldine.

'Miss Foster,' he addressed the puzzling creature in a casual tone, 'did
you draw that cheque for Mr. Knight?'

'Yes, Mr. Snyder.'

'Bring it me, please.'

And she respectfully brought in a cheque, which Mr. Snyder signed.

'There!' said he, handing it to Henry. 'What do you think of that?'

It was a cheque for one thousand and eighty pounds. Gordon and
Brothers, the greatest publishing firm of the United States, had paid
six thousand dollars for the right to publish serially _A Question of
Cubits_, and Mark Snyder's well-earned commission on the transaction
amounted to six hundred dollars.

'Things are looking up,' Henry stammered, feebly facetious.

'It's nearly a record price,' said Snyder complacently. 'But you're a
sort of a record man. And when they believe in a thing over there, they
aren't afraid of making money talk and say so.'

'Nay, nay!' thought Henry. 'This is too much! This beats everything!
E