y.

"Long?" demanded Brent.

"Can't say," said the busy one. "Might be and mightn't." Then he gave
Brent a close inspection. "If it's news," he added, "I can take it. Is
it?"

"No news," replied Brent. "Mr. Peppermore asked me to call. I'll wait."
He perched himself on the counter, and watched the scissors. "You're the
sub-editor, I reckon?" he said at last with a smile. "Eh?"

"I'm all sorts of things in this blooming office," answered the boy.
"We're short-handed here, I can tell you! Takes me and Mr. P. all our
time to get the paper out. Why, last week, Mr. P. he didn't have time to
write his Editorial! We had to shove an old one in. But lor' bless you,
I don't believe anybody reads 'em! Liveliness, and something about
turnips--that's what our folks likes. However, they'll have some good
stuff this week. We'd a real first-class murder in this town last night.
The Mayor! Heard about it?"

"I've heard," said Brent. "Um! And how long have you been at that job?"

"Twelve months," replied the boy. "I was in the law before that--six
months. But the law didn't suit me. Slow! There's some go in this--bit
too much now and then. What we want is another reporter. Comes hard on
me and Mr. Peppermore, times. I did two cricket matches, a fire, a lost
child, and a drowning case last Saturday."

"Good!" said Brent. "Know any shorthand?"

"I can do a fair bit," answered the man-of-all-work. "Learning. Can
you?"

"Some," replied Brent. "Did a lot--once. What system?"

But just then Peppermore, more in a hurry than ever, came bustling in,
to beam brightly through his spectacles at sight of his visitor.

"Mr. Brent!" he exclaimed. "Delighted, my dear sir, charmed! Not often
our humble roof is extended over a distinguished visitor. Take a chair,
sir--but no! stop! I've an idea." He seized Brent by the lapel of his
coat and became whispering and mysterious. "Step outside," he said.
"Twelve o'clock--we'll go over to Bull's."

"What's Bull's?" asked Brent, as they went out into the entry.

Peppermore laughed and wagged his finger.

"Bull's, sir?" he said. "Bull's?--centre of all the gossip in
Hathelsborough. Come across there and have a quiet glass with me, and
keep your eyes and ears open. I've been trying all the morning to get
some news, ideas, impressions, about the sad event of last night, Mr.
Brent--now, for current criticism, Bull's is the place. All the gossips
of the town congregate there, sir."

"All right," agr