THE AUTHOR OF "TRIXIE"
63
whether it does or not, the earth is what I'm going to ask. If I'm to destroy my reputation, I'll see that I don't do it for nothing."
So he demanded from Messrs. Capper and Ironsides a five hundred pounds advance and a royalty of twenty per cent., rising to thirty.
To his horror Mr Indermaur, the junior partner who interviewed him, agreed with the utmost alacrity to these monstrous figures.
"I won't conceal from you, Mr. Dunkle," he said, as with eager pen he filled up the blanks in a printed form of agreement, "that we entertain the very highest hopes of your novel. 'Trixie' is, in our estimation, a Winner. A Winner, Mr. Dunkle."
Dunkle paled. "Don't say that," he groaned. "For Heaven's sake don't say that. Not a Winner."
