Scores of other men would say the same." But the fact that a new hand had seized the _Atlantic_ was apparent in other places than in the _Atlantic_ office itself.

One of Page's contributors of the _Forum_ days, Mr.Courtney DeKalb, happened to be in St.Louis when the first number of the magazine under its new editor made its appearance.

Mr.DeKalb had been out of the country for some time and knew nothing of the change.

Happening accidentally to pick up the _Atlantic_, the table of contents caught his eye.

It bore the traces of an unmistakable hand.