st!"

"Pop," said Banneker, spiritlessly, "what's the use? How do we know we
aren't chasing a rainbow? How do we know people _want_ an honest paper
or would know one if they saw it?"

"My God, son! Don't talk like that," implored the veteran. "That's the
one heresy for which men in our game are eternally damned--and deserve
it."

"All right. I know it. I don't mean it, Pop. I'm not adopting
Marrineal's creed. Not just yet."

"By the way, Marrineal was asking for you this morning."

"Was he? I'll look him up. Perhaps he's going to fire me. I wish he
would."

"Catch him!" grunted the other, reverting to his task. "More likely
going to raise your salary."

As between the two surmises, Edmonds's was the nearer the truth. Urbane
as always, the proprietor of The Patriot waved his editor to a seat,
remarking, "I hope you'll sit down this time," the slightly ironical
tinge to the final words being, in the course of the interview, his only
reference to their previous encounter. Wondering dully whether Marrineal
could have any idea of the murderous hatred which he inspired, Banneker
took the nearest chair and waited. After some discussion as to the
policy of the paper in respect to the strike, which was on the point of
settlement by compromise, Marrineal set his delicate fingers point to
point and said:

"I want to talk to you about the future."

"I'm listening," returned Banneker uncompromisingly.

"Your ultimate ambition is to own and control a newspaper of your own,
isn't it?"

"Why do you think that?"

Marrineal's slow, sparse smile hardly moved his lips. "It's in character
that you should. What else is there for you?"

"Well?"

"Have you ever thought of The Patriot?"

Involuntarily Banneker straightened in his chair. "Is The Patriot in the
market?"

"Hardly. That isn't what I have in mind."

"Will you kindly be more explicit?"

"Mr. Banneker, I intend to be the next governor of this State."

"I might quote a proverb on that point," returned the editor
unpleasantly.

"Yes; and I might cap your cup-and-lip proverb with another as to the
effect of money as a stimulus in a horse-race."

"I have no doubts as to your financial capacity."

"My organization is building up through the State. I've got the country
newspapers in a friendly, not to say expectant, mood. There's just one
man I'm afraid of."

"Judge Enderby?"

"Exactly."

"I should think he would be an admirable nominee."

"As an indivi