"You musn't let me accept too low terms, Poppy," said Jasmine, as they
were going in at the door.

Poppy nodded very brightly in reply, and Jasmine took the seat the
editor offered her with a certain little air of modest elation.

"I got your note," she began, "and I thought you'd like to see me
immediately, so I came. This is my sister; she knows all about it;
she's in the story herself. I've drawn all my characters from the
life; and my friend, Poppy Jenkins--you saw her a fortnight ago--she's
in the book too."

The editor--Mr. Potter was his name--had a habit of waving his hand
when anything that he considered superfluous was being said; he now
waved both Daisy and Poppy into the background, and addressed himself
to Jasmine in a style which, as she said afterwards, riveted her
attention on the spot.

"I wrote to you, Miss Mainwaring," he said, "because I saw germs of
promise in your composition--it is young, of course, for you are very
young, but it is fresh, and with due correctness, which I myself am
willing to supply, I do not see why 'The Pursuit of Happiness' should
not appear in our journal. We publish, however, only under certain
conditions, and before I make any offer for your writings I should
like to know whether you are able to fulfil them."

"That sounds in the nature of a bargain," here burst from Poppy's
lips. "Now, Miss Jasmine, please will you listen very sharp, and see
what the gentleman is after? Bargains seem to me to be all in favor of
them that makes them. Aunt Flint made a bargain with me, and, oh my! I