necessary apprenticeship. Very suitable for a
young man. Not a final career, in my judgment."

"A reporter on The Ledger, then, is nothing but a reporter on The
Ledger."

"Isn't that enough, for a start?" smiled the other. "The station-agent
at--what was the name of your station? Yes, Manzanita. The station-agent
at Manzanita--"

"Was E. Banneker," interposed the owner of that name positively. "A
small puddle, but the inhabitant was an individual toad, at least. To
keep one's individuality in New York isn't so easy, of course."

"There are quite a number of people in New York," pointed out the
philosopher, Vanney. "Mostly crowd."

"Yes," said Banneker. "You've told me something about the newspaper
business that I wanted to know." He rose.

The other put out an arresting hand. "Wouldn't you like to do a little
reporting for me, before you take up your regular work?"

"What kind of reporting?"

"Quite simple. A manufacturing concern in which I own a considerable
interest has a strike on its hands. Suppose you go down to Sippiac, New
Jersey, where our factories are, spend three or four days, and report
back to me your impressions and any ideas you may gather as to improving
our organization for furthering our interests."

"What makes you think that I could be useful in that line?" asked
Banneker curiously.

"My observations at the Manzanita wreck. You have, I believe, a knack
for handling a situation."

"I can always try," accepted Banneker.

Supplied with letters to the officials of the International Cloth
Company, and a liberal sum for expenses, the neophyte went to Sippiac.
There he visited the strongly guarded mills, still making a feeble
pretense of operating, talked with the harassed officials, the gang-boss
of the strike-breakers, the "private guards," who had, in fact,
practically assumed dominant police authority in the place; all of which
was faithful to the programme arranged by Mr. Vanney. Having done so
much, he undertook to obtain a view of the strike from the other side;
visited the wretched tenements of the laborers, sought out the sullen
and distrustful strike-leaders, heard much fiery oratory and some veiled
threats from impassioned agitators, mostly foreign and all tragically
earnest; chatted with corner grocerymen, saloon-keepers, ward
politicians, composing his mental picture of a strike in a minor city,
absolutely controlled, industrially, politically, and socially by the
industry whi