The Washington herald., 1911-10-01

Mcvitee read it rapidly and then quickly wrvr.
twenty lines, doing Moran suggested "WiH you
wait to see proofT he asked.
mo. I'm dead for lack of rest"
Then good night" He sent the copy upstairs
to the compositors and twenty minutes later the
presses roaring again. The Morning Record
was printing the scoop. Moran found his wife asleep
on the settee in front Of the fire. He too tired
to tell her anything Of his days work and he did not
awaken until midday.
He dressed had breakfast and went to the Office as
soon as he got up He went to the news room.
my God Moran! You've done for yoursefT said
Player, the editor, as he saw him. The
chief Is bowling for your blood. Go in and see him.
He wants YOU" ..
whats the trouble?" -'
whats the trouble? You've sold US an almighty
pup. You've been had; you've been done; you're
damnedm
terly.
You've made this paper the fool of Fleet street."
he said
"Oh, look at these" said Moran handing him the
draft of the bill and the Premier's letter Chappeu
read them.
"Well?" he said
We'll? Why, they prove it."
"YOu insensate idiot. they prove nothing! The
evening papers out with official denials and the
Premier himself told this morning that the bill has
been abandoned went to see him myself. He was
at Oxford with me-"
Good God! Abandonedr'
Yes, abandoned. l won't rub it in. But you're
sacked"
You don't mean that?"
81 do. And you can get out now. NJ ian lets this
paper in like this twice"
Moran went out of the Office. He knew that this
had shut every door in Fleet against him.
that he must starye surely a man cast away
barren island. Whatever he might have been as a
journalist in the past editor would trust him after
this He bought evening paper and read the official
denial Of his scoop" 1t seemed to leave oophoe.
He thought of the wife he had to feed the home they
had made but which would be scattered He
went across the club and found the there all
talking about the disaster to the Record
"Hullo! here's Moran" some said. You
tell us who let your paper in? He looked at Moran,
and saw. Have drink" he asked quickly. Moran
went out without a word. He had been somebody in
the club once. Everywhere people were laughing at
the mistake the Record had made. He could hear
scraps Of conversation in the street He went along
to Charing Cross a bus and heard the sort
of thing said by the other passengers. In the tube
again folk discussing the false report that his
paper had published, and laughing. 1t seemed such
good joke to them. The Morning Record had repu
tation for getting day ahead Of other papers,
and ii not reticent about It. Now that 1t had
come to grief every remembered its pride in its
own performances.
At Highgate Moran took ticket back to Charing
Cross. He could not face his wife yet. She was
proud Of him and said often. Now he had to tell
her he was fool and had been fooled. At Charing
Cross he went into the station and had brandy, and
another and another. That made him more cheerful
for a time but profound depression followed. He
began to think that people laughing at him as
they passed Then he decided go back to the office
and see Chappell again and put up better defence
He had not defended himself well, he considered. But
that mood passed: He knew it would do good
Probably he would be stopped at the door by the
ter. He was not the staff now. He wondered If
they would pay him months salary in lieu of notice
They ought to do that, he thought
As matter Of fact the check was waiting for him.
If he had not had the brandy he would have taken
as a matter Of course that it was.
Then he remembered that at home he had a bottle
of tablet Photographic chemicals containing cyanide.
So he had two more glasses Of brandy and went home
His wife out. The servant told him that friend
had called and that they had gone to matinee to-
gether and would be back to dinner. The maid
shocked because he obviously anything but sober
Five hours later boy hurried along the passage
from the tape room to the news room with news
agency message neatly pasted in strips a sheet of
copy paper 1t contained brief intimaton that the
government had decided owing to the premature pub
lication of the details of 1t, introduce the official
RiU info tho House Of Com