To return to the history of “King Solomon’s Mines。” Ultimately that book found its way to Messrs。 Cassells； remended to them； I believe； by Mr。 Henley。 Subsequently Henley reproached me with having taken it out of his hands； and said that he could have got me much better terms。 But I never did take it out of his hands； indeed I never knew that it was in his hands。 If my memory serves me； I heard direct from Messrs。 Cassells informing me that they would publish the book and asking me to call re the agreement。
At any rate I called and in that great building saw a business…like editor whose name I never knew。 He pointed out that the pany was prepared to offer me an alternative agreement。 The first of the two agreements conveyed the copyright to Messrs。 Cassells in return for a sum of； I think； 100 pounds paid down。 The second offered me 50 pounds on account of royalties； to be calculated “at the rate of ten per cent。 of the published price of the book on all copies sold by them during the continuance of the copyright； reckoning thirteen copies to the twelve。”
After my previous experiences as an author 100 pounds on the nail had great attractions。 I had no particular belief in the story which I had thrown off in my leisure hours as a mere jeu d’esprit； especially after its rejection in other quarters。 Even Mr。 Lang’s kind expressions of opinion carried no conviction to my mind； for I did not understand all that it meant ing from such a source。 I set him down as an amiable gentleman with a taste for savages and boys’ books； it did not occur to me that he saw such things every day； and that when he wrote to one who was practically a stranger that he almost preferred this particular boys’ book to “Treasure Island；” the pliment was high and indeed extraordinar