little actress laughed.

"Oh, I know a lot of things," she said. "But I was merely going to
suggest that we call you 'Bishop' for short. Banborough's much too long
a name for ordinary use. What do you say, boys?" turning to the men of
the company.

A chorus of acclamation greeted this sally, and to the members of the
A. B. C. Company Cecil Banborough was 'the Bishop' from that hour.

"And now," said the Englishman, "that you've christened me, suppose we
come to the business in hand?"

Every one was at once intently silent.

"I am," he continued, "the author of 'The Purple Kangaroo.'"

The silence became deeper. The audience were politely impressed, and the
heavy villain did a bit of dumb show with the leading serious, which
only needed to have been a trifle better to have proved convincing.

"Yet," continued the author, "owing to the popular interest in an
imminent war and a lack of energy on the part of my publishers, the book
doesn't sell."

"Impossible!" exclaimed Mr. Smith. "Impossible! Why, I was saying only
the other day to Henry Irving, 'Hen,' I said--I call him 'Hen' for
short,--'that book--'"

"What you say doesn't cut any ice," broke in Spotts. "What were you
saying, sir?"

"I was about to remark," continued Banborough, "that what the novel
needs is advertising. For an author to make the round of the shops is so
old an artifice that any tradesman would see through it."

"It is," interjected the tragedian. "I have more than once demanded the
lower right-hand box when I was playing the leading role."

"And always got it," added Spotts. The silence was appalling, and Cecil
rushed into the breach, saying:

"It's occurred to me, however, that if a number of people, apparently in
different walks of life, were to call at the various bookshops and
department stores of the city, demanding copies of 'The Purple
Kangaroo,' and refusing to be satisfied with excuses, it might create a
market for the book."

"A first-rate idea!" cried Spotts heartily.

"But supposing it was in stock?" suggested the more cautious duenna.

"I shall of course see you're provided with funds for such an
emergency," the author hastened to add; "and if you ladies and gentlemen
feel that you could canvass the city thoroughly in my interests at--ten
dollars a day and car-fares?" he ventured, fearing he had offered too
little.

"I should rather think we do," said Spotts emphatically. "Ten dollars a
day and car-fares is downrigh