o a
point,--"what is the Stanhope Company's advertisement worth a month to
the Chronicle?"

"A hundred rupees maybe--there or thereabouts;" and Mr. Macandrew, with
a vast show of indifference, picked up a letter and began to tear at the
end of it.

"One hundred and fifty-five I think, to be precise. That communication
will wait, won't it? What is it--Kally Nath Mitter's paper and stores
bill? You won't be able to pay it any quicker if we withdraw our
advertisement."

"Why should ye withdraw it?"

"It was given to you on the understanding that notices should appear of
every Wednesday and Saturday's performance. For two Wednesdays there has
been no notice, and last Saturday night you sent a fool."

"So Muster Stanhope thinks o' withdrawin' his advertisement?"

"He is very much of that mind."

The manager put his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat, leaned back
in his chair, and demonstrated the principle that had given him a gold
watch chain--"never be bluffed."

"Ye can withdraw it," he said, with a warily experimental eye upon her.

"How reasonable of you not to make a fuss! We'll have the order
to discontinue in writing, please. If you'll give me a pen and
paper--thanks--and I'll keep a copy."

"Stanhope has wanted to transfer it to the Market Gazette for some
time," she went on as she wrote.

"That's not a newspaper. You'll get no notices there."

"Cheaper on that account, probably."

"They charge like the very deevil. D'ye know the rates of them?"

"I can't say I do."

"There's a man on our staff that doesn't like your show. We'll be able
to send him every night now."

"When we withdraw our advertisement?"

"Just then."

"All right," said Hilda. "It will be interesting to point out in the
Indian Empire the remarkable growth of independent criticism in the
Chronicle since Mr. Stanhope no longer uses the space at his disposal. I
hope your man will be very nasty indeed. You might as well hand over the
permanent passes--the gentleman will expect, I suppose, to pay."

"They'll be in the yeditorial department," said Mr. Macandrew, but
he did not summon a messenger to go for them. Instead he raised his
eyebrows in a manner that expressed the necessity of making the best of
it, and humorously scratched his head.

"We have four hundred pounds of new type coming out in the Almora--she's
due on Thursday," he said. "Entirely for the advertisements. We'll have
a fine display next week. It's grand ty