"Say,  Dick,  did  you  see  where  one  of  's  plays  had

made  a  great  hit  in  New  York  ? ' '  asked  McCord.  "  He 's  made
a  strike  this  time. ' '

"No,"  replied  Dick  solemnly,  poking  among  the  coals  of
the  grate  and  drawing  up  a  chair.  ' '  Sit  down,  Dreiser.  Pull
up  a  chair,  Peter.  This  confounded  grate  smokes  whenever
the  wind's  from  the  South.  Still  there's  nothing  like  a  grate
fire."

We  drew  up  chairs.  I  was  revolving  in  my  mind  the  charm
of  the  room  and  a  vision  of  greatness  in  play-writing.  These
two  men  seemed  subtly  involved  with  the  perfection  of  the
arts.  In  this  atmosphere,  with  such  companions,  I  felt  that  I
could  accomplish  anything,  and  soon.
136  A  BOOK  ABOUT  MYSELF

"I'll  tell  you  how  it  is  with  the  game  of  play- writing, "  ob-
served Dick  sententiously.  "You  have  to  have  imagination
and  feeling  and  all  that,  but  what 's  more  important  than  any-
thing is  a  little  business  sense,  to  know  how  to  get  in  with
those  fellows.  You  might  have  the  finest  play  in  the  world
in  your  pocket,  but  if  you  didn't  know  how  to  dispose  of  it
what  good  would  it  do  you  ?  None  at  all.  You  got  to  know
that  end  first."

He  reached  over  and  pulled  the  coal-scuttle  into  position
as  a  footrest  and  then  looked  introspectively  at  the  ceiling.
