"Well, Mr. Hardwick left strict orders with me that if ye came, or,
rather, that _whin_ ye came, I was to conduct ye right up to his room at
once."

"Oh, that is very satisfactory," cried Miss Jennie, "and somewhat
different from the state of things yesterday."

"Indeed, and that's very true," said the porter, his voice sinking.
"To-day is not like yesterday at all, at all. There's been great
ructions in this office, mum; although what it's about, fly away with me
if I know. There's been ruunin' back and forrad, an' a plentiful deal of
language used. The proprietor himself has been here, an' he's here now,
an' Mr. Alder came out a minute ago with his face as white as a sheet of
paper. They do be sayin'," added the porter, still further lowering his
voice, and pausing on the stairway, "that Mr. Hardwick is not goin' to
be the editor any more, but that Mr. Alder is to take his place. Anyway,
as far as I can tell, Mr. Hardwick an' Mr. Alder have had a fine fall
out, an' one or other of them is likely to leave the paper."

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" said Miss Jennie, also pausing on the stairs. "Is
it so serious as all that?"

"Indeed it is, mum, an' we none of us know where we're standin', at all,
at all."

The porter led the way to Mr. Hardwick's room, and announced the
visitor.

"Ask her to come in," she heard the editor say, and the next instant the