erfectly willing to talk, when the humor seized him, and he
did talk, brilliantly, wittily, freely, and impersonally. The
egoistic "I" was conspicuous by its absence. And while he talked you
could see the agile antennae of The Author's winged mind feeling
after the soul-string that might lead him through the mazes of this
unusual character. That he could be deftly diverted filled The
Author with chagrin mingled with wonder.

He manoeuvered for an invitation to the gray cottage and secured
it with suspicious ease; called, and had a glass of most excellent
wine in his host's simplest of bachelor living-rooms; made the
closer acquaintance of Boris--he didn't care for dogs--and of
self-contained, dark-faced Daoud, Mr. Jelnik's East Indian
man-servant; and came home dissatisfied and determined. He scented
"copy," and a born writer after copy is, next to an Apache after a
scalp or a Dyak after his enemy's head, the most ruthless of created
beings. He will pick his mother's naked soul to pieces, bore into
his wife's living brain, dissect his daughter's quivering heart,
tear across his sister's mind, rip up his father's life and his best
friend's character, lay bare the tomb itself, and make for himself
an ink of tears and blood that he may write what he finds. Of such
is the kingdom of Genius.

And in the meantime the wondrous news that The Author himself was
staying at Hynds House, percolated through Hyndsville and soaked to
the bone. The Author was too big a figure to be ignored, even by
South Carolina people. Something had to be done. But how shall one
become acquainted with a notoriously unfriendly and gun-shy
celebrity, a personage of such note that every utterance means
newspaper space; and at the same time manage utterly to ignore and
cast into outer darkness the people with whom the great one is
staying?

The town felt itself put upon its mettle. The first move was made by
Miss Martha Hopkins. It was understood that if anybody could clear
the way, carry a difficult position with skill and aplomb, that
somebody was Miss Martha Hopkins.

She didn't bear down directly upon The Author: that would have been
crude. She opened her campaign by a flank movement upon Alicia and
me, in her capacity of secretary and treasurer of the missionary
society.

Miss Hopkins sailed into Hynds House on a perfect afternoon, to
discuss with us a proposed rummage-sale which was to benefit the
heathen. She wasn't really worrying about t