But the story which called out the most persistent and determined and ambitious effort was one which had no ending, and so there was nothing to compare the new-made endings with.
The man who told it said he could furnish the particulars up to a certain point only, because that was as much of the tale as he knew.

He had read it in a volume of sketches twenty-five years ago, and was interrupted before the end was reached.

He would give any one fifty dollars who would finish the story to the satisfaction of a jury to be appointed by ourselves.

We appointed a jury and wrestled with the tale.

We invented plenty of endings, but the jury voted them all down.