"He's gorn," he observed, looking up as Roland entered.

"What do you mean?" Roland snapped at him. "Who's gone and where did he
go? And besides that, when you speak to your superiors you will rise
and stop chewing that infernal gum. It gets on my nerves."

Jimmy neither rose nor relinquished his gum. He took his time and
answered.

"Mr. Petheram. A couple of fellers come in and went through, and there
was a uproar inside there, and presently out they come running, and I
went in, and there was Mr. Petheram on the floor knocked silly and the
furniture all broke, and now 'e's gorn to 'orspital. Those fellers 'ad
been putting 'im froo it proper," concluded Jimmy with moody relish.

Roland sat down weakly. Jimmy, his tale told, resumed the study of his
illustrated paper. Silence reigned in the offices of 'Squibs.'

It was broken by the arrival of Miss March. Her exclamation of
astonishment at the sight of the wrecked room led to a repetition of
Jimmy's story.

She vanished on hearing the name of the hospital to which the stricken
editor had been removed, and returned an hour later with flashing eyes
and a set jaw.

"Aubrey," she said--it was news to Roland that Mr. Petheram's name was
Aubrey--"is very much knocked about, but he is conscious and sitting up
and taking nourishment."