For the third time he looked up at her, and there was dismissal in his
glance.

Miss Baxter said indignantly to herself, "This brute of a man hasn't the
slightest idea that I am one of the best dressed women he has ever met."

But there was no trace of indignation in her voice when she said to him
sweetly, "We will take that as settled. But if upon some other paper,
Mr. Hardwick, I should show evidence of being as good a newspaper
reporter as any member of your staff, may I come up here, and, without
being kept waiting too long, tell you of my triumph?"

"You would not shake my decision," he said.

"Oh, don't say that," she murmured, with a smile. "I am sure you
wouldn't like it if anyone called you a fool."

"Called me a fool?" said the editor sharply, drawing down his dark
brows. "I shouldn't mind it in the least."

"What, not if it were true? You know it would be true, if I could do
something that all your clever men hadn't accomplished. An editor may
be a very talented man, but, after all, his mission is to see that his
paper is an interesting one, and that it contains, as often as possible,
something which no other sheet does."

"Oh, I'll see to that," Mr. Hardwick assured her with resolute
confidence.

"I am certain you will," said Miss Baxter very sweetly; "but now you