Anderson's heart leaped. After all, he thought, perseverance would—
"Not yet, nor soon." The editor smiled broadly, and Paul realized that the humor in those pin-point eyes was rather cruel.
Five other calls he made that day, to be greeted gruffly in every instance except one. One man encouraged him slightly by saying:
"Come back next week; I may have an opening then."
In view of the "pay-as-you-enter" policy in vogue at Anderson's boarding-house he knew there could be no next week for him, therefore he inquired:
"How about a little space work in the meantime? I'm pretty good at that stuff."
"You are?"
"Surest thing you know."
"Did you ever do any?"
"No. But I'm good, just the same."