the news. Get it? Of course we get it. But we don't always want to print
it. There's such a thing as a gentleman's understanding in the newspaper
business."

"So I've heard," replied the chairman. "Well, gentlemen, the boy's
young. Give him time."

"I'll give him six months, not longer, to go on the way he's been
going," said John M. Gibbs, with a vicious snap of his teeth.

"Does the 'Clarion' really intend to publish anything about an
epidemic?" asked Stickler, of the Hotel Stickler.

"Nothing is decided yet, so far as I know. But I may safely say that
there's a probability of their getting up some kind of a sensational
story."

"Can't you control your own son?" asked some one bluntly.

"Understand this, if you please, gentlemen. Over the Worthington
'Clarion' I have no control whatsoever."

"Well, there's where the danger lies," said Vane. "If the 'Clarion'
comes out with a big story, the rest of us have got to publish something
to save our face."

"What's to be done, then?" cried Stickler. "This means a big loss to the
hotel business."

"To all of us," amended the chairman. "My suggestion is that our special
committee be empowered to wait upon the editor of the 'Clarion' and talk
the matter over with him."

Embodied in the form of a motion this was passed, and the chair
appointed as that committee three merchants, all of whom were members of
the Publication Committee of the Retail Union; and, as such, exercised
the most powerful advertising control in Worthington. Dr. Surtaine still
pinned his hopes to the dollar and its editorial potency.

Unofficially and privately these men invited to go with them to the
"Clarion" office Elias M. Pierce, who had not been at the meeting. At
first he angrily refused. He wished to meet that young whelp Surtaine
nowhere but in a court of law, he announced. But after Bertram
Hollenbeck, of the Emporium, the chairman of the subcommittee, had
outlined his plan, Pierce took a night to think it over, and in the
morning accepted the invitation with a grim smile.

Forewarned by his father, who had begged that he consider carefully and
with due regard to his own future the proposals to be set before him,
Hal was ready to receive the deputation in form. Pierce's presence
surprised him. He greeted all four men with equally punctilious
politeness, however, and gave courteous attention while Hollenbeck spoke
for his colleagues. The merchant explained the purpose of the visit; se