“All we want,” said Hilda, “is some one to guarantee the working expenses for the first three months.”
“And I said,” added Lalage, “that you’d do it if we came out here and asked you.”
I recollected hearing of an Englishman who started a daily paper which afterward failed and it was said that he lost £300,000 by the venture. I hesitated.
“What we ask,” said Lalage, “is not money, but a guarantee, and we are willing to pay 8 per cent, to whoever does it. The difference between a guarantee and actual money is that in the one case you will probably never have to pay at all, while in the other you will have to fork out at once.”
“Am I,” I asked, “to get 8 per cent, on what I don’t give, but merely promise?”
“That’s what it comes to,” said Lalage. “I call it a good offer.”
“It’s one of the most generous I ever heard,” I said. “May I ask if Selby-Harrison——?”
“It was his suggestion,” said Hilda. “Neither Lalage nor I are any good at sums, specially decimals.”
“And,” said Lalage, “you’ll get a copy of each number post free just the same as if you were a regular subscriber!”
“We’ve got one advertiser already,” said Hilda.