reaching distance of The Patriot's presses."

"Your proposition--though you haven't made any as yet--is that we lead
our editorial page daily with matter such as this. Am I correct?"

"No. Make a clean sweep of the present editorials. Substitute mine. One
a day will be quite enough for their minds to work on."

"But that won't fill the page," objected the proprietor.

"Cartoon. Column of light comment. Letters from readers. That will,"
returned Banneker with severe brevity.

"It might be worth trying," mused Marrineal.

"It might be worth, to a moribund paper, almost anything." The tone was
significant.

"Then you are prepared to join our staff?"

"On suitable terms."

"I had thought of offering you," Marrineal paused for better effect,
"one hundred and fifty dollars a week."

Banneker was annoyed. That was no more than he could earn, with a little
outside work, on The Ledger. He had thought of asking two hundred and
fifty. Now he said promptly:

"Those editorials are worth three hundred a week to any paper. As a
starter," he added.

A pained and patient smile overspread Marrineal's regular features. "The
Patriot's leader-writer draws a hundred at present."

"I dare say."

"The whole page costs barely three hundred."

"It is overpaid."

"For a comparative novice," observed Marrineal without rancor, "you do
not lack self-confidence."

"There are the goods," said Banneker evenly. "It is for you to decide
whether they are worth the price asked."

"And there's where the trouble is," confessed Marrineal. "I don't know.
They might be."

Banneker made his proposition. "You spoke of my being a novice. I admit
the weak spot. I want more experience. You can afford to try this out
for six months. In fact, you can't afford not to. Something has got to
be done with The Patriot, and soon. It's losing ground daily."

"You are mistaken," returned Marrineal.

"Then the news-stands and circulation lists are mistaken, too," retorted
the other. "Would you care to see my figures?"

Marrineal waved away the suggestion with an easy gesture which
surrendered the point.

"Very well. I'm backing the new editorial idea to get circulation."

"With my money," pointed out Marrineal.

"I can't save you the money. But I can spread it for you, that three
hundred dollars."

"How, spread it?"

"Charge half to editorial page: half to the news department."

"On account of what services to the news department?"

"Gener