The representative of the National Advertising Agency frowned. “Why should you doubt my seriousness, sir?” he demanded, with great dignity. “My firm is one of the largest agencies in the world. Surely you must have heard of us? We represent most of the big advertisers in the United States, and our specialty is placing ads in small-town newspapers such as yours.” He drew from his pocket several sheets of paper pinned together. “Here is the copy of the ads which I wish to insert in the _Bulletin_. They are to appear regularly in each issue until further notice. Each ad is to occupy half a page. If you will have the contracts drawn up, I will sign them now.” Carroll glanced at the pages which his visitor had thrust into his hand. Each sheet was a typewritten draft of an advertisement of some product of world-wide reputation. One was a brand of bottled beer, which, so its manufacturers boasted, had made a certain town famous; another was a breakfast food, the name of which, by dint of persistent advertising, had become a household word throughout the world; a third was a tooth powder which millions of people were using. Still Carroll was incredulous. This stroke of fortune seemed much too good to be true. He was strongly inclined to ask Mr. Cheston why he had selected the _Bulletin_ as a medium for this advertising, but he realized that such a question would be exceedingly undiplomatic, so he refrained from putting it. “Very well, sir,” he said. “How about payment? It is----” Before he could go any further, the representative of the National Advertising Agency broke in: “Payment will be in advance, Mr. Carroll. I shall hand you our check now for five thousand dollars. That will carry us for quite a few issues at your usual rates, I think. By the time that money is used up, we shall be able to judge by the results whether it will be to our advantage to continue to run the ads in the _Bulletin_.” Carroll was even more strongly inclined to suspect now that the proposition was a hoax. This liberal way of doing business, to his mind, looked decidedly fishy. However, he proceeded to draw up the contracts, and when Mr. Cheston had departed, leaving a check for five thousand dollars behind him, he took the check over to his bank, although he felt so sure that it was worthless that he was almost ashamed to deposit it. Great was his amazement and joy when he called at the bank the next day, and was told by the cashier that the check had put through the clearing house, and was perfectly good. It was not long before Carroll’s enemies in the _Chronicle_ office and at the city hall heard about this windfall which had come to the _Bulletin_. The Gales could not understand it at all. They thought it very queer that Mr. Oliver Cheston had not come to them with a view to placing his business in their newspaper. Surely as an advertising expert, he must have known that the _Chronicle’s_ circulation was far in advance of that of the _Bulletin_.