_Martin Renard_ was not immediately accepted by the first editor to whom it was offered. It does not suffice that in order to be popular a thing shall be merely good--or bad; it must be bad--or good--in a particular way. For taking the responsibility when they happen to miss that particular way editors are paid their salaries. When they happen to hit it they grow fat on circulation-money: Since it becomes me ill to quarrel with the way in which any man earns his money, I content myself with merely stating the fact. By the time the fourth editor had refused my series I was about at my last gasp. To write the things at all I had had to sink four months in time; and debts, writs and pawnshops were my familiars. I was little better off than Andriaovsky at his very worst. I had read the first of the _Martin Renards_ to him, by the way; the gigantic outburst of mirth with which he had received it had not encouraged me to read him a second. I wrote the others in secret. I wrote the things in the spring and summer of 1900; and by the last day of September I was confident that I had at last sold them. Except by a flagrant breach of faith, the editor in whose desk they reposed could hardly decline them. As it subsequently happened, I have now nothing but gratitude for him that he did, after all, decline them; for I had a duplicate copy "on offer" in another quarter. He declined them, I say; and I was free to possess my soul again among my writs, debts and pawnshops. But four days later I received the alternative offer. It was from the _Falchion_. The _Falchion_, as you may remember, has since run no less than five complete series of _Martin Renards_. It bought "both sides," that is to say, both British and American serial rights. Of the twelve _Martin Renards_ I had written, my wise agent had offered the _Falchion_ six only. On his advice I accepted the offer. Instantaneously with the publication of those six stories came my success. In two continents I was "home"--home in the hearts of the public. I had my small cheque--it was not much more than a hundred pounds--but "Wait," said my agent; "let's see what we can do with the other six...."