, we help
him plan and talk about it.

"The Colonel helps, too, and he is a good hand. Then, when
we are tired, he tells us his adventures. He's a great
traveler and has written articles and stories. He knows
Egypt and the Holy Land like a book. Bates also comes up and
talks evenings, when we want to be alone. I suppose we ought
to listen to him, for he talks business, but he is an awful
bore, and we don't care much who his contracts are with, if
he's just got them. I'd put a good deal more faith in Bates
if he had different ways, but, of course, everything can't
be pleasant. Van tried to seem interested, the other night,
and asked Bates to let him see his contracts. Then he
became quite offended. He seemed to think we doubted his
having them. We don't want to get him mad, for the
advertising is where our profit comes in, and I suppose
Bates is a great hustler, only I wish he'd hustle and be
satisfied without telling us over and over about Lawson's
Baby Powder, and the Slick Shaving Stick, or the H. M.
Rolled Oats, double column agate every other week, and a lot
more things, till we're stone-blind and black in the face.

"And now, Dorry dear, I tried to write you all the news, as
you wanted me to, and I haven't told you once in all these
pages that I love you. I do, though, Dorry, and it breaks my
heart that I am not going to see you this summer. Of course,
as you say, I ought not to leave now until the paper is out,
and must be economical; but it is very hard, and if you were
not so taken up now with the paper yourself, I should be
tempted to drop everything and come away. There are
drawbacks, after all, in having a great responsibility like
this, but, of course, when it gets to going I suppose we'll
have leisure, and next summer we'll have a steam-yacht of
our own and go around the world together. Then we'll come
back and begin building the houses and all the different
institutions you have planned. You are very noble,
sweetheart, to be always thinking of others. It will be
beautiful to be rich for that reason, if for nothing else.
For my part, any condition of life would be happiness with
you at my side. God bless you, Dorothy!

"Your
"TRUE.

"P.S. The Colonel was just in, and I made this sketch of
him. He's