triumph in her smiling bow to him, and as she
left she heard a long whistle of astonishment in Mr. Hardwick's room.
She hurried down the stairs, threw a bewitching glance at the Irish
porter, who came out of his den and whispered to her,--

"It's all right, is it, mum?"

"More than all right," she answered. "Thank you very much indeed for
your kindness."

The porter preceded her out to the waiting hansom and held his arm so
that her skirt would not touch the wheel.

"Drive quickly to the Cafe Royal," she said to the cabman.

When the hansom drew up in front of the Cafe Royal, Miss Jennie Baxter
did not step put of it, but waited until the stalwart servitor in gold
lace, who ornamented the entrance, hurried from the door to the vehicle.
"Do you know Mr. Stoneham?" she asked with suppressed excitement, "the
editor of the _Evening Graphite_? He is usually here playing dominoes
with somebody about this hour."

"Oh yes, I know him," was the reply. "I think he is inside at this
moment, but I will make certain."

In a short time Mr. Stoneham himself appeared, looking perhaps a trifle
disconcerted at having his whereabouts so accurately ascertained.

"What a blessing it is," said Miss Jennie, with a laugh, "that we poor
reporters know where to find our editors in a case of emergency."

"This is no case of emergency, Miss Baxter," grumbled Stoneham. "If it's
news, you ought to know that it is too late to be of any use for us
to-day."

"Ah, yes," was the quick reply, "but what excellent time I am in with
news for to-morrow!"

"If a man is to live a long life," growled the disturbed editor, "he
must allow to-morrow's news to look after itself. Sufficient for the day
are the worries thereof."

"As a general rule that is true," assented the girl, "but I have a most
important piece of information for you that wouldn't wait, and in half
an hour from now you will be writing your to-morrow's leader, showing
forth in terse and forcible language the many iniquities of the Board of
Public Construction."

"Oh," cried the editor, brightening, "if it is anything to the discredit
of the Board of Public Construction, I am glad you came."

"Well, that's not a bit complimentary to me. You should be glad in any
case; but I'll forgive your bad manners, as I wish you to help me.
Please step into this hansom, because I have most startling intelligence
to impart--news that must not be overheard; and there is no place so
safe for a c