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any book of his had yet enjoyed。 I hope that my recognition of the fact
will not seem like boasting； but that the reader will regard it as a
special confidence from the author and will let it go no farther。
KITTERY POINT； MAINE； July； 1909。
PART FIRST
A HAZARD OF NEW FORTUNES
I。
〃Now； you think this thing over； March； and let me know the last of next
week；〃 said Fulkerson。 He got up from the chair which he had been
sitting astride； with his face to its back； and tilting toward March on
its hind…legs； and came and rapped upon his table with his thin bamboo
stick。 〃What you want to do is to get out of the insurance business；
anyway。 You acknowledge that yourself。 You never liked it； and now it
makes you sick； in other words； it's killing you。 You ain't an insurance
man by nature。 You're a natural…born literary man； and you've been going
against the grain。 Now； I offer you a chance to go with the grain。
I don't say you're going to make your everlasting fortune； but I'll give
you a living salary； and if the thing succeeds you'll share in its
success。 We'll all share in its success。 That's the beauty of it。
I tell you； March； this is the greatest idea that has been struck
since〃Fulkerson stopped and searched his mind for a fit image〃since
the creation of man。〃
He put his leg up over the corner of March's table and gave himself a
sharp cut on the thigh； and leaned forward to get the full effect of his
words upon his listener。
March had his hands clasped together behind his head； and he took one of
them down long enough to put his inkstand and mucilage…bottle out of
Fulkerson's way。 After many years' experiment of a mustache and
whiskers； he now wore his grizzled beard full； but cropped close； it gave
him a certain grimness； corrected by the gentleness of his eyes。
〃Some people don't think much of the creation of man nowadays。 Why stop
at that？ Why not say since the morning stars sang together？〃
〃No； sir； no； sir！ I don't want to claim too much； and I draw the line
at the creation of man。 I'm satisfied with that。 But if you want to
ring the morning stars into the prospectus all right； I won't go back on
you。〃
〃But I don't understand why you've set your mind on me；〃 March said。
〃I haven't had； any magazine experience； you know that； and I haven't
seriously attempted to do anything in literature since I was married。
I gave up smoking and the Muse together。 I suppose I could still manage
a cigar； but I don't believe I could〃
〃Muse worth a cent。〃 Fulkerson took the thought out of his mouth and put
it into his own words。 〃I know。 Well； I don't want you to。 I don't
care if you never write a line for the thing； though you needn't reject
anything of yours； if it happens to be good； on that account。 And I
don't want much experience in my editor； rather not have it。 You told
me； didn't you； that you used to do some newspaper work before you
settled down？〃
〃Yes； I thought my lines were permanently cast in those places once。 It
was more an accident than anything else that I got into the insurance
business。 I suppose I secretly hoped that if I made my living by
something utterly different； I could come more freshly to literature
proper in my leisure。〃
〃I see； and you found the insurance business too many； for you。 Well；
anyway； you've always had a hankering for the inkpots； and the fact that
you first gave me the idea of this thing shows that you've done more or
less thinking about magazines。〃
〃Yesless。〃
〃Well； all right。 Now don't you be troubled。 I know what I want；
generally； speaking； and in this particular instance I want you。 I might
get a man of more experience； but I should probably get a man of more
prejudice and self…conceit along with him； and a man with a following of
the literary hangers…on that are sure to get round an editor sooner or
later。 I want to start fair； and I've found out in the syndicate
business all the men that are worth having。 But they know me； and they
don't know you； and that's where we shall have the pull on them。 They
won't be able to work the thing。 Don't you be anxious about the
experience。 I've got experience enough of my own to run a dozen editors。
What I want is an editor who has taste； and you've got it； and
conscience； and you've got it； and horse sense； and you've got that。
And I like you because you're a Western man； and I'm another。 I do
cotton to a Western man when I find him off East here； holding his own
with the best of 'em； and showing 'em that he's just as much civilized as
they are。 We both know what it is to have our bright home in the setting
sun； heigh？〃
〃I think we Western men who've come East are apt to take ourselves a
little too objectively and to feel ourselves rather more representative
than we need；〃 March remarked。
Fulkerson was delighted。 〃You've hit it！ We do！ We are！〃
〃And as for holding my own； I'm not very proud of what I've done in that
way； it's been very little to hold。 But I know what you mean； Fulkerson；
and I've felt the same thing myself； it warmed me toward you when we
first met。 I can't help suffusing a little to any man when I hear that
he was born on the other side of the Alleghanies。 It's perfectly stupid。
I despise the same thing when I see it in Boston people。〃
Fulkerson pulled first one of his blond whiskers and then the other； and
twisted the end of each into a point； which he left to untwine itself。
He fixed March with his little eyes； which had a curious innocence in
their cunning； and tapped the desk immediately in front of him。 〃What I
like about you is that you're broad in your sympathies。 The first time I
saw you； that night on the Quebec boat； I said to myself ： 'There's a man
I want to know。 There's a human being。' I was a little afraid of Mrs。
March and the children； but I felt at home with youthoroughly
domesticatedbefore I passed a word with you； and when you spoke first；
and opened up with a joke over that fellow's tableful of light literature
and Indian moccasins and birch…bark toy canoes and stereoscopic views；
I knew that we were brothers…spiritual twins。 I recognized the Western
style of fun； and I thought； when you said you were from Boston； that it
was some of the same。 But I see now that its being a cold fact； as far
as the last fifteen or twenty years count； is just so much gain。 You
know both sections； and you can make this thing go； from ocean to ocean。〃
〃We might ring that into the prospectus； too；〃 March suggested； with a
smile。 〃You might call the thing 'From Sea to Sea。' By…the…way； what
are you going to call it？〃
〃I haven't decided yet； that's one of the things I wanted to talk with
you about。 I had thought of 'The Syndicate'； but it sounds kind of dry；
and doesn't seem to cover the ground exactly。 I should like something
that would express the co…operative character of the thing； but I don't
know as I can get it。〃
〃Might call it 'The Mutual'。〃
〃They'd think it was an insurance paper。 No； that won't do。 But Mutual
comes pretty near the idea。 If we could get something like that； it
would pique curiosity； and then if we