suppressed it; wouldn't let any strike stuff get on the wires that it
could keep off. Then how, asked Banneker, could it be expected--?
McClintick interrupted in his voice of controlled passion; had Mr.
Banneker ever heard of the Chicago Transcript (naming the leading
morning paper); had he ever read it? Well, The Transcript--which, he,
McClintick, hated strongly as an organ of money--nevertheless did
honestly gather and publish news, as he was constrained huskily to
admit. It had the Veridian story; was still running it from time to
time. Therefore, if Mr. Banneker was interested, on behalf of The
Patriot--

Certainly, The Patriot was interested; would obtain and publish the
story in full, if it was as Mr. McClintick represented, with due
editorial comment.

"Will it?" grumbled McClintick, gave his hat a look of mingled hope and
skepticism, put it on, and went away.

"Now, what's wrong with that chap's mental digestion?" Banneker inquired
of Edmonds, who had sat quiet throughout the interview. "What is he
holding back?"

"Plenty," returned the veteran in a tone which might have served for
echo of the labor man's gloom.

"Do you know the Veridian story?"

"Yes. I've just checked it up."

"What's the milk in that cocoanut?"

"Sour!" said Edmonds with such energy that Banneker turned to look at
him direct. "The principal owner of Veridian is named Marrineal....
Where you going, Ban?"

"To see the principal owner of the name," said Banneker grimly.

The quest took him to the big house on upper Fifth Avenue. Marrineal
heard his editorial writer with impassive face.

"So the story has got here," he remarked.

"Yes. Do you own Veridian?"

"No."

Hope rose within Banneker. "You don't?"

"My mother does. She's in Europe. A rather innocent old person. The
innocence of age, perhaps. Quite old." All of this in a perfectly
tranquil voice.

"Have you seen The Chicago Transcript? It's an ugly story."

"Very. I've sent a man out to the camp. There won't be any more
shootings."

"It comes rather late. I've told McClintick, the labor man who comes
from Wyoming, that we'll carry the story, if we verify it."

Marrineal raised his eyes slowly to Banneker's stern face. "Have you?"
he said coolly. "Now, as to the mayoralty campaign; what do you think of
running a page feature of Laird's reforms, as President of the Board,
tracing each one down to its effect and showing what any backward step
would mean? By the wa