on looked from one to the other quizzically. "H'm!" he mused.
"Well," squinting over his glasses at the girl, "this surely is
woman's era, isn't it?"

* * * * *

A week later the Express, scarcely recognizable in its clean, fresh
type and modest headlines, with its crisp news and well written
editorials, very unostentatiously made its entry into the already
crowded metropolitan field. Few noticed it. Adams picked it up and
laughed, a short, contemptuous laugh. Fallom glanced over it and
wondered. J. Wilton Ames, who had been apprised of its advent, threw
it into the waste basket--and then drew it out again. He re-read the
editorial announcing the policy of the paper. From that he began a
careful survey of the whole sheet. His eye caught an article on the
feminist movement, signed by Carmen Ariza. His lip curled, but he read
the article through, and finished with the mental comment that it was
well written. Then he summoned Willett.

"I want this sheet carefully watched," he commanded, tossing the paper
to his secretary. "If anything is noticed that in any way refers to me
or my interests, call my attention to it immediately."

The secretary bowed and departed. A moment afterward Henry Claus,
nominal head of the great Claus brewing interests, was ushered in.

"We licked 'em, Mr. Ames, we licked 'em!" cried the newcomer, rushing
forward and clasping the financier's hand. "The city council last
night voted against the neighborhood saloon license bill! Lined up
solidly for us! Fine, eh?"

"Yes," commented the laconic Ames. "Our aldermen are a very
intelligent lot of statesmen, Claus. They're wise enough to see that
their jobs depend upon whiskey. It requires very astute statesmanship,
Claus, to see that. But some of our congressmen and senators have
learned the same thing."

The brewer pondered this delphic utterance and scratched his head.

"Well," continued Ames, "have you your report?"

"Eh? Yes, sure, Mr. Ames. Here."

Ames studied the document. Then he looked severely at Claus. "Sales
less than last month," he remarked dryly.

"It's the local option law what done it, Mr. Ames," replied the brewer
apologetically. "Them women--"

"Bah! Let a few petticoats whip you, eh? But, anyway, you don't know
how to market your stuff. Look here, Claus, you've got to encourage
the young people more. We've got to get the girls and boys. If we get
the girls, we'll get the boys ea