Hundreds of thousands of sample copies of _The Weekly Guest_, with first chapters of this story, were scattered all over the land. Later, the book was issued in paper covers. Harte & Perkins paid the author $500 for the story, then ordered another of the same type for which he was given $450. These stories were written under a _nom de plume_ which Harte & Perkins had copyrighted. The _nom de plume_ was their property and could not be appropriated by any other publisher. Edwards wrote three of the yarns, and a friend of his wrote others. All the year Edwards had been patted on the back. On Dec. 14 came a blow between the eyes. He had been commissioned to write another "Stella Edwards" rhapsody, but was overconfident and did not take time to surround himself with the proper "Stella Edwards" atmosphere. Two installments went forward, and this letter came back: "I have just finished reading 'Two Hearts Against the World.' I regret to say that the story will not do, and it would be as well for you not to attempt to remodel it. In other words, the way you are handling the subject is not satisfactory to us and is not a question of minor detail. We shall be obliged to give this work into other hands to do. The story, as far as it goes, is wildly improbable and has a lack of cohesion in the incident. I think you wrote it hurriedly, and without mature thought. These stories have to seem probable even if they deal with unusual events." There was bitterness in that, not so much because Edwards had lost $300 but because he had failed to make good. His pride suffered more than his pocket. Later, however, he wrote some more "Stella Edwards" stories for Harte & Perkins and they were highly praised; but that type of fiction was not his forte. The year 1894 closed with Harte & Perkins giving Edwards a chance at a new five-cent weekly they were starting. It was merely a shift from _The Weekly Guest_ back to the libraries again. His work for Harte & Perkins, during the year, showed as follows: 10 Ten-Cent Libraries at $100 each $ 1000. Two "Stella Edwards" stories at $300 each 600. "The Brave and Fair" 500. "The Man from Montana" 450. 2 Five-Cent Libraries at $50 each 100. 1 Juvenile serial 100. --------- Total $2,750. The work tabulated above approximates 850,000 words, and takes no account of work sold to other publishers. By industry alone Edwards had secured a fair income. W. Bert Foster, a friend of Edwards', who for twenty-five years has kept a story-mill of his own busily grinding with splendid success, has this to say about a slip he once made in his early years: