ing direct into Marrineal's hands in attacking Laird
on the franchise matter."

"Yes. Keep on."

"Strange advice from you, Pop. You think my position on that is wrong."

"What of that? You think it's right. Therefore, go ahead. Why quit a
line of policy just because it obliges your employes? Don't be
over-conscientious, son."

"I've suspected for some time that the political news was being adroitly
manipulated against the administration. Has Marrineal tried to ring you
in on that?"

"No; and he won't."

"Why not?"

"He knows that, in the main, I'm a Laird man. Laird is giving us what we
asked for, an honest administration."

"Suppose, when Marrineal develops his plans, he comes to you, which
would be his natural course, to handle the news end of the anti-Laird
campaign. What would you do?"

"Quit."

Banneker sighed. "It's so easy for you."

"Not so easy as you think, son. Even though there's a lot of stuff being
put over in the news columns that makes me sore and sick. Marrineal's
little theory of using news as a lever is being put into practice pretty
widely. Also we're selling it."

"Selling our news columns?"

"Some of 'em. For advertising. You're well out of any responsibility for
that department. I'd resign to-morrow if it weren't for the fact that
Marrineal still wants to cocker up the labor crowd for his political
purposes, and so gives me a free hand in my own special line. By the
way, he's got the Veridian matter all nicely smoothed out. Oh, my, yes!
Fired the general manager, put in all sorts of reforms, recognized the
union, the whole programme! That's to spike McClintick's guns if he
tries to trot out Veridian again as proof that Marrineal is, at heart,
anti-labor."

"Is he?"

"He's anti-anything that's anti-Marrineal, and pro-anything that's
pro-Marrineal. Haven't you measured him yet? All policy, no principle;
there's Mr. Tertius Marrineal for you.... Ban, it's really you that
holds me to this shop." Through convolutions of smoke from his tiny
pipe, the old stager regarded the young star of journalism with a quaint
and placid affection. "Whatever rotten stuff is going on in the business
and news department, your page goes straight and speaks clear.... I
wonder how long Marrineal will stand for it ... I wonder what he intends
for the next campaign."

"If my proprietor runs for office, I can't very well not support him,"
said Banneker, troubled.

"Not very well. The pinch will come a