The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-01


whom he finally quarreiled with on . point
| which this friend considered dishonorable TO
| Hubbard Kicker had not since left the paper.
and though he was called crank By some OF
| the moro progressive. and reckless OF the
| young mon. he chung TO his ideal OF con-
science In journalism; he gave the Abstract
| hxed character. and IL could no more have
| changed than the Events. without self-destruc-
| ton. Tho men under him were not 80
many as Cesars soldiers. and that,
| perhaps. was the reason why he knew
not only their names but their qualities. When
Maxwell came with the fact Of the defalcstlon
which the detectives had intrusted to him for
provisional use. and asked to be assigned to
the business Of working tup. Kicker consented.
but he consented reluctantly. He thought
Maxwell was better for better things: he knew
he was ravenous reader Of philosophy and
sociology. and no had been early In the secret
Of his being O poet: It had since become an
open secret among his fellow reporters. for
which he suffered both honor and dishonor.
II shouldn't think you'd like to do It. Max
we'll" said Kicker. kindly. 1t isn't In your
line isit 2 Better give IL to some OF the other
fellows"
ITS more In my line than you suppose. Mr..
Kicker" said The young fellow. Its sub
ject I've looked UP great deal lately. once
thought looked down bashfully-"of try
ing to write play about defaulter. and got
together good many facts about defalcation.
You've no idea how common It is; its about
the commonest fact Of our civilization"
"Ahi' Is that so2" asked Kicker. with ironi-
cal Difference to tho bold generalizer. Who
else Is onto this thingp"
"Pinney OF the Eserts."
swell, he's dangerous rival In some ways"
..fl - In ND n
whitewash brush don't think you're match
for him. But perhaps you don't intend to
choose the same Weapons" Kicker pulled
down tho greer. lined pssteboard peak that he
wore over his forehead BY gaslight, and
hitched his chair round to his desk again. and
Maxwell knew that he Was authorized to do
the work.
He got no word from the detective. who had
given him hint Of the affair. to 60 ahead the
night after his return from Hatboro'. as he
had expected. but he knew that the fact could
not be kept back. and he worked as hard at
bis report as Pinney and Pinney's wife had
worked at theirs. He waited till the next
morning to begin. however. for he was too
tagged after he came homo from the Hilarys':
he rose early and got himself q cup OF tea over
tho gas burner: before the house was awake
he was we'll on In his report By nightfall he
had finished 1t, and then he carried 1t to Kicker.
The editor had not gone to dinner yet. and he
gave Maxwel's work the critical censure OF
hungry man. It was In two separate parts:
one. careful and lucid statement Of all tho
facts which had come to Maxwell's knowledge
In his quality OF reporter. set down without
senation. and In that self-respectful decency
Of tone which the Abstract affected: the other.
an editorial comment upon the facts Kicker
read the first through without saying any
thing: when he saw what the second was he
pushed up his green-lined peak and said.
Hello. young mani Who invited you to take
the 6oor2"
Nobody. found couldn't embody my
general knowledge Of deislcaton in the report
without impertinence, and Is had to get my
wisdom OF my mind somehow. I put It In edi-
torial shape don't expect you to take It Per-
haps can sell It somewhere"
Kicker seemed to pay no attention to his OK
PLANTATION. He went on reading the manuscript
and when he ended. he took up the report
again and compared it with the editorial In
length. If We printed these things es they
stand It would look like Q case OF the tail waz-
ging the dog"
Maxwell began again. "oh. didn't expect ="
"Oh. yes. you did" said Kicker. "Of course.
you feltthat the report was at least physically
inadequate
"Imsde as much - I honestly could Of II I
knew you didn't like padding or taking. and
don't myself"
Rioker was still holding the two manuscripts
up before him. He now handed them over his
shoulder to Maxwell. where he stood beside
him. Do you think you could weld these two
things together"
"Idont know"
Suppose you try"
AS editorial OF"
Either. I'll decide after you're done Do It
here."
He pushed some papers OF tho long table be-
side him. and Maxwell sat down to his task. Il
was not dinlcult The material was really NJ
kindred character throughout He had merely
to write O few predatory sentences. in the edi-
torial attitude. to his report and then append
tho editorial. with certain changes. again. It
did not take him long: In half an hour no
handed the result to Kicker.
"Yes." said Kicker. and he began to road It
anew. with his blue pencil In his hand.
Maxwell had come with nerves steeled to
bear tho rejection OF his article entire. but no
was not prepared to suffer the erasure Of all
his pet phrases and favorite sentences. some
times running to entire paragraphs
When Kicker handed It back to him at last
with what do you think Of 1t now" Maxwell
had the boldness to answer. We'll. Mr.. Kicker.
II I must say. think you've taken all the
bones and blood out OF it"
Kicker laughed. "Oh. no Merely the fangs
and poison sacs. Look here. young mani
Did you believe all those cynical things whom
you were saying them?"
II don't know"
"Iknow. know you didn't Every ono Of
them rang false. They were there for literary
effect, and for the pleasure Of the groundlings.
But by and by. II you keep on saying those
things you'll get to thinking them. and what
man thinks man is. There are things there
that you ought to be ashamed of. II you really
thought them. but know you didn't so
made free to strike them all out" Maxwell
looked foolish: he wished to assert himself.
but he did not know how. Kicker went on: