The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-07-12

"7hdt Is quite right" nc said, rising.
with mel The subject hasn't been dis.
cussed. Mr.. Stoneham il not a generous
payer, and that is why I desire to get
on n paper which does not count the
cost too closely. What I wished to do
was to convince You that I would be a
valuable addition to The Bugle staff,
for you seemed to be of the opinion
that the staff was already sufficient and
complete"
"Oh, my staff is not to blame in this
matterl l am willing to take all the
blame for our defeat on my shoulders,
but there are some other things ! am
not willing to do, and perhaps you are
in a position to clear up n little misun-
derstanding that has arisen in this
office. l suppose l may take it for
granted that you overheard the CONVEX
| sation which took place between Mr..
Alder and myself in this room yester-
day afternoon"
"Well," said Miss Baxter, for the
first time in some confusion, 81 can as
sure you that l did not come here with
the intention of listening to anything.
l came into the next room by myself
for the purpose Of getting to see you as
soon AS possible. While not exactly a
member Of the staff of The Evening
Graphite, it nevertheless takes about all
the work am able to do, and so l con.
slider myself bound to keep my eyes and
ears open on its behalf wherever l am"
"Oh, l don't want to censure you at
| oil - .ntl 1yn ri p,t,ly tI ,,,nra1u u,tcl
to he certain how the thing was done.
As | said, l am willing to take the
blame entirely on my own shoulders. l
don't think l should have made use of
information obtained in that way my
self. Still, l am not venturing to find
fault with you for doing So"
ITO find fault with mel' cried Miss
Jennie somewhat warmly. THAT would
be the pot calling the kettle black in
deed. Why, what better were your You
We're bribing a poor man to furnish you
with statistics which he was very re-
~luctant to let You have. Yet you over
came his scruples with money, quite
willing that he should risk his liveli-
hood so long as you got the news. If
you ask me, l don't see very much diff
Ference in our positions"
"Oh, quite so, quite So, answered
Hardwick soothingly. 81 have already
disclaimed the critical attitude. The
point wish to be sure of is this-yOu
overheard the conversation between AL
der and myself"
Eyes, l did.
"Would you be able TO repeat it
81 don't know that / could repeat it
word for word, but l could certainly
give the gist of it.
Would you have any objection to
telling a gentleman whom ! shall call
in a moment, as nearly as possible,
what Alder said and what l saidH I
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, if / may
call it so, and it seems that you are the
only person who can settle the dispute. "
IL am perfectly willing to tell what
l heard to anybody"
Thank you"
Mr.. Hardwick pressed an electric
button, and his secretary came in from
another room.
Would you ask Mr.. Hampstead to
step this way, If he Is in his roomf"
In a few minutes Mr.. Hampstead en-.
tered, bowed somewhat stifiy toward
the lady, but froze up instantly when
he heard that she was the person who
l had given the board Of public construc'
tion scandal to The Evening Graphite.
| ~ have just this moment learned,
Mr.. Hampstead, that Miss Baxter was
in the adjoining room when Alder anG
: were talking over this matter. Sh,
heard the conversation. i have no
= asked her to repeat it, but sent for yor
at once, and she says she is willing t
: answer any questions you may ask.
I I'm that case. Mr., Hardwick, woult
: it not be we'll to have Henry Aldel
here !"
Certainly, if he is on the premises ;
Then, turning 10 his secretary, he said
Would you find ont if Mr.. Alder is il
q his room? Tell him Mr.. Hampstead
$ wishes TO see him here.
e When Henry Alder came in and tn
0 secretary had disappeared, Miss Baxte
r saw at once that she was in an unen
viable situation, FOR it was quite evi
I dent the three men were scarcely OF
r speaking terms with each other. Moth
( ing causes such a state Of tension in
Q newspaper Office as the missing of
Q piece of news that is important.
g Perhaps it would be better, +" sug
gested Hardwick, ''if Miss Baxter woul
! repeat the conversation as she heard il.