The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-04

In his voice which she had expected Il
have been waiting for you. Yoa said you
would be here at ), and l like punctuslity.
aS take er eraed he ha The
Graphite is indebted to you for what II is
pleased to call the board Of public construc-
Yes" said the young woman. seating
herself II came up 10 tell you that I lro-
cured for the Graphite that interesting ri
OF information"
so l suppose. Ny colleague, Henry Alder,
saw Hazel this afternoon at the Offices of
the board. The good man Hazel is panic
stricken at the explosion he has caused and
is In a very nervous state of mind, more
especially when he learned that his docu-
ment had gone 10 an unexpected quarter.
Fortunately for him the offices of the board
are thronged with journalists who want TO
get statements from this man or the other
regarding the exposure, and so the visit of
Alder to Hazel was not likely to be noticed
description OF the handsome young woman
who has so cieverly wheedled the documents
agreed upon in the exact way that it was to
have been paid. Alder had not seen you
and has not the slightest idea how the i'm
portaDt news slipped through his fir,yers,
but when he told me what had happened
1 knew at you were the goddess of the
machine. Therefore i have been waiting
for you.
much the Graphite paid you for that ar
ticle over and above the $50 you gave to
Hazel?"
oh; 1t wasn't question of money with
me! The subject hasn't been discussed. Mr.
Stoneham Is not generous payer. and
that is why 1 desire TO get on paper which
does not count the cost too closely. What
/ wished TO do was 10 convince you that
would be a valuable addition to the Bugle
stan, for you seemed to be of the opinion
that the staff was already sufficient and
.Oh. my staff is not to blame in this mat
ter! l am willing TO take all the blame for
NrIr- Anfn -hr
some other things / am not willing to do,
and perhaps you are in position TO clear
up little misunderstanding that has arisen
granted that you overheard the converse
ton which took place between Mr.. Alder
and myself in this room yesterday after
noon?"
WELL" said Miss Baxter, for the first
time in some confusion, II can assure you
that did not come here with the intention
of listening 10 anything. / came into the
next room by myself for the purpose of
getting to see you as soon as possible.
While not exactly member of the staff
of The Evening Graphite, it nevertheless
takes about all the work i am able to do,
and so i consider myself bound to keep my
1 am
oh. don't want to censure you at ALL"
said Hardwick; Il merely wish to be GER
am willing TO take the blame entirely on
my own shoulders. I don'r think / should
should have made-use of information OBJ
Il
yenturing to find fault with you for doing
| So"
ITO find fault with mel' cried Miss Jen-
| ME, somewhat warmly. That would be the
pot calling the kettle black indeed why.
what better were you? You were bribing a
| poor man to furnish you with statistics
| which he was very reluctant 10 let you
have. Yet you overcame his scruples with
| money. quite willing that he should risk his
livelihood so long as you got the news; If
| you ask me, don't see very much differ
| ence in our OOSitiOnS.'
| "Oh, quite so. quite so,' answered Hard
| wick, soothingly. Il have already disclaimed
be sure of is this-you overheard the CONVEX
sation between Alder and myself?'
Would you be able to repeat it?"
81 don't know that l could repeat ii word
for word, but could certainly give the gist
of it,
a gentleman whom shall call in a moment
| as nearly as possible, what Alder said and
what said? may add that the gentleman
l speak of is Mr.. Hampstead. and he is
| practically the proprietor of this paper
| There has arisen between Mr.. Alder and
myself a slight divergence of memory, II
| the only person who can settle the dispute. "
Il am perfectly. willing to tell what
| heard to anybody"
| Thank YOU.
Mr. Hardwick pressed an electric button
and his secretary came in from another
Would you ask Mr.. Hampstead TO ster
| this way If he is in his room?"
In few minutes Mr.. Hampstead entered
bowed somewhat stiff1y toward the lady, but
froze up instantly when he heard that she
was the person who had given the board
| of public construction scandal to the Even.
| ing Graphite.
! Il have Just this moment learned, Mr.
| Hampstead that Miss Baxter was in the
| adjoining room when Alder and were talk
ing this matter 1of She Ssr the
| but sent for you at once, and she says she
is willing to answer any questions you may
| ask"
I'm that case, Mr. Hardwick, would II
| not be we'll TO have Henry Alder here?'
Certainly. If he is on the premises:
| Would you find out If Mr.. Alder is in his
room? Tell him Mr.. Hampstead wishes to
| see him here
| When Henry Alder came in and the Sec
| rotary had disappeared, Miss Baxter saw
at once that she was in unenviable sit
uation, for 1t was quite evident the three
| each other. Nothing causes such state OF
| tension in a newspaper office as the missing
of piece of news that is important
| Hardwick. "if Miss Baxter would repeat
| the conversation as she heard IT;
Il don't see the use of that said Mr.
| Hampstead. There is only one point al
issue. Did Mr.. Alder warn Mr.. Hardwick
that BY delay he would lose the publication
Hardly that" answered the girl LAS i
remember it, he said: Isn't there danger
| that some other paper may get this?' Mr..
| Hardwick replied, L don't think so: not for
| three days, at least, and then Mr. Alder
| said. Very good or Very well. or some
| thing like that"
That quite tallies with my own remem-
brance" said Hardwick. II admit am to
| blame, but I decidedly say that l was nor
definitely warned by Mr.. Alder that the
matter would be lost to u.s..
II told you IL would be lost II you de-
| layed,' said Alder. and II has been lost.
/ have been on the track OF this for two
weeks. and it is very CALLING to have missed
1t at the last moment through no fauit Oh
my own"
;'Still." said Mr. Hampstead coldly.. your
tally with what Miss Baxter says"
''Oh. have 1t as you wish said Alder
truculently 1T doesn't matter in the least
to me. have taken service on the DalIy
Trumpet and YOU may consider my place
on the Rugle vacant" saying which he put
his hat on his head and left the room.
Mr.. Homestead seemed distressed BY the
discussion but for the first time, MI Hard
wick smiled grimly. ia
"and lack of it is one of Alder's failingS
Nevertheless, Mr.. Hardwick, you nave
lost one of YOUR best men. How are you 60
ing to replace him?" inquired the proprietor
There is little difficulty in replacing even
the best man on any staff in London, re-
plied Hardwick, with glance at Miss Bax-
ter. las this young lady seems TO Keep ner
wits about her when the welfare of her pa
per is concerned. / shall. If you have no OBJ
lection, I'LL Henry Alders place with MISS
Mr. Homestead arched his eyebrows a
trif1e at thought YOU didn't believe in wom-