f distorting history as Nicolovius
distorted it could always find a parallel to anything anywhere.

When the meal was about half over, Queed said:--

"You slept badly last night, didn't you?"

"Yes--my old enemy. The attack soon passed. However, you may be sure
that it is a comfort at such times to know that I am not alone."

"If you should need any--ahem--assistance, I assume that you will call
me," said Queed, after a pause.

"Thank you. You can hardly realize what your presence here, your
companionship and, I hope I may say, your friendship, mean to me."

Queed glanced at him over the table, and hastily turned his glance away.
He had surprised Nicolovius looking at him with a curiously tender look
in his black diamond eyes.

The young man went to the office that night, worried by two highly
irritating ideas. One was that Nicolovius was most unjustifiably
permitting himself to become dependent upon him. The other was that it
was very peculiar that a Fenian refugee should care to express
slanderous views of the soldiers of a Lost Cause. Both thoughts, once
introduced into the young man's mind, obstinately stuck there.

XX

_Meeting of the Post Directors to elect a Successor to Colonel
Cowles; Charles Gardiner West's Sensible Remarks on Mr. Queed; Mr.
West's Resignation from Old Blaines College, and New Consecration
to the Uplift._

The _Post_ directors gathered in special meeting on Monday. Their first
act was to adopt some beautiful resolutions, prepared by Charles
Gardiner West, in memory of the editor who had served the paper so long
and so well. Next they changed the organization of the staff, splitting
the late Colonel's heavy duties in two, by creating the separate
position of managing editor; this official to have complete authority
over the news department of the paper, as the editor had over its
editorial page. The directors named Evan Montague, the able city editor
of the Post, to fill the new position, while promoting the strongest of
the reporters to fill the city desk.

The chairman, Stewart Byrd, then announced that he was ready to receive
nominations for, or hear discussion about, the editorship.

One of the directors, Mr. Hopkins, observed that, as he viewed it, the
directors should not feel restricted to local timber in the choice of a
successor to the Colonel. He said that the growing importance of the
_Post_ entitled it to an editor of the first ability, and