A Black Adonis

This conversation did not lessen Shirley Roseleaf’s anxiety to get possession of his letter. It seemed as if his entire future hung on the contents of that envelope tarrying so long in Nellie’s hands. The great publishers, Cutt & Slashem, had had his manuscript in their hands for nearly a fortnight. When they had accepted it, his path would be clear. If they rejected it, he would not have gotten so far as that.

The manuscript was a romance—a romance of love! Its author had spent a great deal of time on it. He had rewritten it carefully and finally made a neat copy, which he was very proud of. Then, he had long thought about the question of a publishing firm. Cutt & Slashem stood at the top of their profession and finally received the preference. With the MSS. Roseleaf sent a pretty note, including a delicate compliment on their success.

The MSS and the note were arranged tastefully in a neat white package and tied with pink twine. After all of those precautions, it is no wonder that the novelist felt surprised when days passed and no reply was sent. But never at any time was he discouraged. Had they intended to reject the novel, he reasoned, they could as quickly have done so in three days as ten.