"By gad, yes," put in Livingstone. "What did you hear happened to Frisby?" asked the Colonel, quietly. "We heard," continued Perner, "that Frisby bought the 'Voice of Light' without putting down a dollar--that he didn't have a dollar to put down--that he contracted for papers and advertising without a dollar--that he didn't have a dollar when his first advertising appeared--that he got a thousand dollars in the first mail, and six thousand dollars in one day! That's what we heard happened to Frisby." Colonel Hazard rose and walked across the room and back. Above him the gray of the New Year lay on the sleet-drifted skylight like the dawn of truth. He paused in front of the fire and regarded the three listening men. "Well," he said, "it didn't happen to us, did it?" XXIII THE LAST LETTER--TO MR. AND MRS. TRUMAN LIVINGSTONE, OLD POINT COMFORT, VIRGINIA "DEAR PEOPLE: You can go right on to Florida or to any other seaport where honeymoons shine upon summer seas from skies that are always cloudless. You can go, and with our permission, as soon as you get this letter, and you may stay as long as the inclosed check lasts--provided you first buy your return tickets for New York. "You see, the 'Bread Line' sold at Macbeth's, and this is the net result. It is a good deal more than the picture is worth, but then, if people will go on being so unreasonable in their tastes, I suppose you will have to go on profiting by it. Van and I went up to-day to take a last look at it. You can't paint much, old man, but after living with that picture a year, and knowing all that it means, it wasn't quite easy to part with it. "Well, times are some better. Van made a comic series of some fellows running a paper, and sold it to 'Dawn.' It was ripping! I am just finishing a story on the subject for the 'Decade.' They are going to have you illustrate it. The Colonel is well on with his Egyptian articles. "Van says, when you can't go any place else, come home and be forgiven. As ever, "PERNY. "P.S. Barrifield was just in, and sends you his 'best.' And now, listen! He has disposed of the lists and good will of the 'Whole Family' to--whom do you think? Why, to Frisby, of course, who, in return, will fill out our subscriptions with his new paper, entitled "'THE ROAD TO FORTUNE.'"