dozen men were patiently sitting, was closed. The opposite door, which
led into Mr. Hardwick's office, was partly open. Miss Baxter sat down
near the third door, the one by which she had entered from the passage,
ready to intercept the flying editor, should he attempt to escape.

In the editor's room someone was walking up and down with heavy
footfall, and growling in a deep voice that was plainly audible where
Miss Jennie sat. "You see, Alder, it's like this," said the voice. "Any
paper may have a sensation every day, if it wishes; but what I want is
accuracy, otherwise our sheet has no real influence. When an article
appears in the _Bugle_, I want our readers to understand that that
article is true from beginning to end. I want not only sensation, but
definiteness and not only definiteness, but absolute truth."

"Well, Mr. Hardwick," interrupted another voice--the owner of which was
either standing still or sitting in a chair, so far as Miss Baxter could
judge by the tone, while the editor uneasily paced to and fro--"what
Hazel is afraid of is that when this blows over he will lose his
situation--"

"But," interjected the editor, "no one can be sure that he gave the
information. No one knows anything about this but you and I, and we will
certainly keep our mouths shut."

"What Hazel fears is that the moment we print the account, the Board of
Public Construction will know he gave away the figures, because of their
accuracy. He says that if we permit him to make one or two blunders,
which will not matter in the least in so far as the general account
goes, it will turn suspicion from him. It will be supposed that someone
had access to the books, and in the hurry of transcribing figures