isgust and respect, and tapped his
foot impatiently on the bare floor.

"Let me see; it is situated?" proceeded the chief quietly.

"On the southeast shore of the Great Gopher lake." Mr. Ticks finished
the sentence mechanically.

"Ah! I remember. Its population?"

"Twenty-nine thousand five hundred and fifty-two. It increases at the
rate of thirty a day."

"Exactly so! It is--?"

"Just two years nine months and twelve days old."

"To be sure. Its property--?"

"Is one hundred and sixty-four million dollars, in round numbers."

"Of course. Its industries are--?"

"The usual pertaining to Western cities, I suppose. I confess ignorance
to concrete particulars. The reports have been singularly deficient in
this respect. I credit this entirely to its youth."

"Indeed! Its railroad facilities--?"

"The C. H. & S. F. is its great trunk line. Three branch lines have
their centre there--just built. Two roads are surveyed to shorten the
distance to Chicago and San Francisco respectively."

"Any other facts of interest, Mr. Ticks?" Mr. Ticks hesitated.

"Well--no--yes--no. In fact, there is nothing of special importance that
I--that is different from any other city--except--nothing, sir, that I
am willing to stake my professional reputation upon; you must excuse me,
sir."

"Is it in the cyclone area, Mr. Ticks?"

"No, sir. The centre of barometric depression is farther north. The
Buzzard mountains to the south deflect all such storm centres. Russell
will be singularly free from tornadoes."

The editor-in-chief looked somewhat nonplussed, and handed Mr. Ticks the
telegram, with the remark:

"What do you think of that?"

"I do not know, sir. I cannot give an opinion."

"I, Mr. Ticks, I for one believe this is true. I'll--I'll stake my
reputation on it!" said Swift decidedly. Mr. Ticks' exasperating caution
grated on the news editor and converted his scepticism into conviction.

"If it is," replied his chief, quietly, "you can start for the scene
to-night on the six thirty express. You did up the Charleston
earthquake. You were the first on the spot at Johnstown, and this
promises to be as bad--or as good."

Swift tried to look indifferent at this cumulation of trust. He had been
on the paper for five years; he had started in as night reporter, and
his own ability and quickness, united with a certain caution, one might
call it a news integrity, had raised him to his present position. The
_Planet_ had the