y more for the present. Davis
Incorporated were reorganizing and would do nothing until their plans
were completed. Others intimated they would submit bids if he cared to
sell at auction and some broached the question of taking his output on
consignment. But from no firm did he receive even a conditional order.

The various interviews had a depressing effect upon Gregory's spirits.
Weakened by his illness, he decided to call it a day and tackle the few
remaining jobbers on the following morning.

As he sought the hotel he remembered his friend Hawkins, who was working
on the _Daily Times_. Bill had been his lieutenant overseas. He was a
fighting fool and had always been an optimistic chap. In his present
frame of mind, optimism was what he needed. Accordingly he called
Hawkins up and invited him to dinner.

Some hours later the two men were conversing in Gregory's room. The
great war had been fought over again, mutual acquaintances checked up
and the past thoroughly covered.

"And so now you are a full-fledged business man," Hawkins was saying, as
the talk turned to the present, surveying Gregory through the haze of
his cigarette.

"Yes. And from the way it looks now I'm about due to be plucked by these
thieving jobbers."

Hawkins smiled brightly. "Nothing to it," he said. "You've overlooked
two big things, that's all. When we get them straightened out,
everything will be lovely."

Knowing that Hawkins expected no reply, Gregory waited for him to go on.

"Your idea is bully. I can't see any reason why it won't work out all
right. But in order to make that possible you've got to stir up the
animals. When you get an idea like that, the thing to be done is to
capitalize it. Why withhold it from the public? They would be
interested. Let them in on it."

"You mean advertise?" Gregory prompted.

A slight frown passed over Hawkins' face.

"Nothing so crude as that," he answered. "I mean publicity."

The newspaperman's face glowed with the importance of his subject and he
continued rapidly:

"This is an age of publicity. With proper handling you can do most
anything. Even adverse publicity, so-called, has its value. Lots of
shows around here for instance are crowded to the doors every night by a
mere suggestion that they are not all that they should be. The quickest
way to kill a man or an idea in this country is by a 'campaign of
silence.'"

Seeing that Gregory did not quite get his drift, he went on:

"You