courteous. He cleared his throat and
came forward smiling.

"Certainly, gentlemen. I think I may really be able to assist you
somewhat. When I was business manager of the 'Family Post' in its palmy
days I always arranged my own advertising copy. I remember once of
running the circulation up something like two hundred thousand on a
single feature I introduced. Also, when I was editor-in-chief of the
'Saturday Globe' they often came to me for such things. It is quite an
art, I assure you. May I be allowed to consider what you have already
done?"

The work, so far as completed, was exhibited and read aloud for his
delectation.

"Very good, gentlemen, very good indeed," he assented, when they had
finished. "You have also made careful selection, no doubt, of the
periodicals in which these advertisements are to appear. A great deal
depends on the choice of proper mediums. For instance, you would not
wish to offer the gun in a ladies' journal, nor, from a business
standpoint, the Bible in a sportsmen's magazine, however commendable
such a course might appear from a moral point of view. You see,
gentlemen, I speak from long and dearly bought experience, and these
matters are worth considering."

"But Bates attends to all that," said Perner. "He knows the best places
to advertise better than we do, and can get better prices. Wouldn't you
think so?"

The face of the Colonel grew almost stern.

"I do not wish, gentlemen, to interfere in any of your plans," he said
with some dignity, "and you must excuse me if I do not coincide with
your opinions concerning my colleague, Mr. Joseph Bates. He impresses me
as merely a boasting, unscrupulous fellow when he is sober, and a
maudlin Ananias when he's intoxicated. In neither condition do I
consider him trustworthy."

"By gad! nor I, either!" declared Livingstone.

"Oh, come, now," protested Barrifield, laughing lazily. "You fellows are
down on Bates because he drinks. Why, some of the smartest men we ever
had in this country were the hardest drinkers."

"Rather in spite of it than because of it, however, I fancy," smiled the
Colonel. "If I were employing men I should hardly regard inebriety as an
evidence of either superior intelligence or moral integrity. Personally,
I have no respect for my colleague,--no respect whatever,--though, as
long as he remains such, I shall treat him with the courtesy due to his
position."

There was something about the Colonel's manner that com