"The manuscript was sent to us in the usual way," the head of the
firm explained to John Harrington, one of the soundest and most
influential of journalists, "just on chance,--it was neither
introduced nor recommended. One of our readers was immensely taken
with it and advised us to accept it. The author gave no name, and
merely requested all communications to be made through his
secretary, a Miss Armitage, as he wished for the time being to
remain anonymous. We drew up an Agreement on these lines which was
signed for the author by Miss Armitage,--she also corrected and
passed the proofs--"

"Perhaps she also wrote the book," interrupted Harrington, with an
amused twinkle in his eyes--"I suppose such a solution of the
mystery has not occurred to you?"

The publisher smiled. "Under different circumstances it might have
done so," he replied, "but we have seen Miss Armitage several
times--she is quite a young girl, not at all of the 'literary'
type, though she is very careful and accurate in her secretarial
work--I mean as regards business letters and attention to detail.
But at her age she could not have had the scholarship to produce
such a book. The author shows a close familiarity with sixteenth-
century literature such as could only be gained by a student of
the style of that period,--Miss Armitage has nothing of the 'book-
worm' about her--she is quite a simple young person--more like a
bright school-girl than anything else--"

"Where does she live?" asked Harrington, abruptly.

The publisher looked up the address and gave it.