inside can disbelieve them
scientifically," put in Banneker with a smile.

"What would _you_ do with The Patriot if you had it?" interrogated the
proprietor.

"I? Oh, I'd try to make it interesting," was the prompt and simple
reply.

"How, interesting?"

For his own purposes Banneker chose to misinterpret the purport of the
question. "So interesting that half a million people would have to read
it."

"You think you could do that?"

"I think it could be done."

"Will you come with me and try it?"

"You're offering me a place on The Patriot staff?"

"Precisely. Mr. Edmonds is joining."

That gentleman breathed a small cloud of blue vapor into the air
together with the dispassionate query: "Is that so? Hadn't heard of it."

"My principle in business is to determine whether I want a man or an
article, and then bid a price that can't be rejected."

"Sound," admitted the veteran. "Perfectly sound. But I'm not specially
in need of money."

"I'm offering you opportunity."

"What kind?"

"Opportunity to handle big stories according to the facts as you see
them. Not as you had to handle the Sippiac strike story."

Edmonds set down his pipe. "What did you think of that?"

"A masterpiece of hinting and suggestion and information for those who
can read between the lines. Not many have the eye for it. With me you
won't have to write between the lines. Not on labor or political
questions, anyway. You're a Socialist, aren't you?"

"Yes. You're not going to make The Patriot a Socialist paper, are you?"

"Some people might call it that. I'm going to make it a popular paper.
It's going to be for the many against the few. How are you going to
bring about Socialism?"

"Education."

"Exactly! What better chance could you ask? A paper devoted to the
interests of the masses, and willing to print facts. I want you to do
the same sort of thing that you've been doing for The Courier; a job of
handling the big, general stories. You'll be responsible to me alone.
The salary will be a third higher than you are now getting. Think it
over."

"I've thought. I'm bought," said Russell Edmonds. He resumed his pipe.

"And you, Mr. Banneker?"

"I'm not a Socialist, in the party sense. Besides a Socialist paper in
New York has no chance of big circulation."

"Oh, The Patriot isn't going to tag itself. Politically it will be
independent. Its policy will be socialistic only in that it will be for
labor rather than capital an