the novel when they sent
it back," he explained.

"What did they say?"

"Oh, the usual thing. I haven't read it yet. Here's what they say."
He opened it and read:

"We return to you herewith the MS. of your novel, 'In Defiance of
Authority,' and regret that our reader does not recommend it as
available for publication at present. We have, however, followed your
work with considerable interest, and have read a story by you, copied
in one of our exchanges, under the title, 'A Victory Over Death,' which
we would have been glad to publish ourselves, had you given us the
chance.

"Would you consider the offer of the assistant editorship of our
QUARTERLY, a literary and critical pamphlet, that we publish in New
York, and with which we presume you are familiar? We do not believe
there would be any difficulty in the matter of financial arrangements.
In case you should decide to come on, we inclose R. R. passes via the
A. T. & S. F., C. & A., and New York Central.

"Very truly,

"THE CENTENNIAL PUBLISHING COMPANY,
"NEW YORK."

The two exchanged glances. But Blix was too excited to speak, and
could only give vent to a little, quivering, choking sigh. The letter
was a veritable god from the machine, the one thing lacking to complete
their happiness.

"I don't know how this looks to you," Condy began, trying to be calm,
"but it seems to me that this is--that this--this--"

But what they said then they could never afterward remember. The
golden haze of the sunset somehow got into their recollection of the
moment, and they could only recall the fact that they had been gayer in
that moment than ever before in all their lives.

Perhaps as gay as they ever were to be again. They began to know the
difference between gayety and happiness. That New Year's Day, that
sunset, marked for them an end and a beginning. It was the end of
their gay, irresponsible, hour-to-hour life of the past three months;
and it was the beginning of a new life, whose possibilities of sorrow
and of trouble, of pleasure and of happiness, were greater than aught
they had yet experienced. They knew this--they felt it instinctively,
as with a common impulse they turned and looked back upon the glowing
earth and sea and sky, the breaking surf, the beach, the distant,
rime-incrusted, ancient fort--all that scene that to their eyes stood
for the dear, free, careless companionship of those las