Out near the riverside end of the park the two cars stopped abreast¹ under a vast live-oak, and Aline, rising, opened the letter and read aloud:  
 
MY DEAR MR. CHESTER:
 
Your manuscript, "The Holy Cross," accompanied by your letter of the -- inst., is received and will have our early attention.
 
Very respectfully,
 
THE EDITOR.
 
 
All other outcries ceased half-uttered when the Chapdelaine sisters clapped hands for joy, crying:
 
"Agcepted! Agcepted! Ah, Aline! by that kindnezz and sag-acitie of Mr. Chezter--and all the rez' of our Royal Street frien'--you are biccome the diz-ting-uish' and lucrative² authorezz, Mlle. Chapdelaine!"
 
M. De l'Isle's wrath³ was too hot for his tongue, but Scipion stood waiting to speak, and Mme. Castanado beckoned⁴ attention and spoke⁵ his name.
 
"Messieurs et mesdames" he said, "that manuscrip' is no mo' agcept' than rij-ect'. That stadement, tha'z only to rilease those insuranze companie' and----"
 
"And to stop us from telegraphing!" M. De l'Isle broke in, "and to make us, ad the end, glad to get even a small price! Ah, mesdemoiselles, you don't know those razcal' like me!"
 
"Oh!" cried the tender Yvonne--original rescuer of Marie Madeleine from boy lynchers--"you don't have charitie! That way you make yo'seff un'appie."
 
"Me, I cann' think," her sister persevered⁶, "that tha'z juz' for the insuranse. The manuscrip' is receive'? Well! 'ow can you receive something if you don't agcept it? And 'ow can you agcep' that if you don' receive it? Ah-h-h!"
 
"No," Beloiseau rejoined, "tha'z only to signify that the editorial decision--tha'z not decide'."
 
Mlle. Corinne lifted both hands to the entire jury: "Oh, frien', I assure you, that manuscrip' is agcept'. And tha'z the proof; that both Yvonne and me we've had a presentiment⁷ of that already sinze the biggening! Ah-h-h!"
 
Castanado intervened: "Mademoiselle, that lady yonder"--he gave his wife a courtier's bow--"will tell you a differenze. Once on a time she receive' a h-offer of marriage; but 'twas not till after many days thad she agcept' it." [Applause.] "But ad the en', I su'pose tha'z for Mr. Chezter, our legal counsel, to conclude."
 
Mr. Chester "thought that although receipt did not imply acceptance the tardiness⁸ of this letter did argue a probability that the manuscript had successfully passed some sort of preliminary reading--or readings--and now awaited only the verdict of the editor-in-chief."
 
"Or," ventured Mme. Alexandre, "of that editorial board all together."
 
M. De l'Isle shook his head and then a stiff finger: "I tell you! They are sicretly inquiring Thorndyke-Smith--lit'ry magnet--to fine out if we are truz'-worthy! And tha'z the miztake we did---not sen'ing the photograph of Mlle. Aline ad the biggening. But tha'z not yet too late; we can wire them from firz' drug-store, 'Suspen' judgment⁹! Portrait of authorezz coming!'"
 
All eyes, even Cupid's, turned to her. She was shaking her head. "No," she responded, with a smile as lovely, to Chester's fancy, as it was final; as final............