“Besides,” said Melba, “don’t forget, Fred, that we owe the recovery of these negatives entirely to him. If Miggsy hadn’t worked that clever ruse on your photo-engraver, I shouldn’t have had the least idea how to get the pictures out of the hands of the _Chronicle’s_ photo-engraver. I merely copied his plan. You ought to take that into account.” The childlike argument caused Carroll’s face to relax into a smile. “A woman’s logic is certainly a wonderful thing,” he chuckled. “It seems to me that if the boy hadn’t worked that trick in the first place, there wouldn’t have been any occasion for you to copy it at all. However, since you are both against me, I suppose I have got to give in. Miggsy shall have another chance. I’ll send somebody out to find him and bring him back.” The Camera Chap, happening to glance out of the window at that moment, saw something which brought a broad grin to his face. “I guess you won’t have to search far for him,” he announced. “Unless my eyes greatly deceive me, he is standing on the other side of the street at this very minute, gazing wistfully up at these windows, like a little fox terrier who has been turned out of the house. Take a peep at him, Fred. If the expression of abject misery on that young countenance wouldn’t melt the hardest heart, I don’t know what would.” Carroll stepped to the window, and, catching Miggsy’s eye, beckoned to him to come up. Mistrust of his ex-employer’s intentions would have caused the boy to ignore this summons and take to his heels in panic, if Melba had not come to the window, and, standing beside Carroll, smiled down encouragingly to him. The sight of his fair champion reassured Miggsy. His heart beating wildly, he crossed the street, entered the Bulletin Building, and came very sheepishly into the presence of the man whom he had wronged. “Mr. Carroll,” he began stammeringly, “I--I don’t know how----” “That’s all right, Miggsy,” the proprietor of the _Bulletin_ interrupted gruffly. “Never mind trying to explain. Just forget all about this unfortunate incident, and get back to your work. For the rest of the day, Miggsy,” he added, “I want you to stand on guard out in the hall, and watch very closely whoever goes upstairs to the photo-engraving room. If Neilson has any visitors, notify me promptly.” Hawley grinned as he listened to these instructions. “You seem to expect callers, Fred,” he remarked dryly. “Well, I think it quite likely that we shall get some,” Carroll replied. CHAPTER XXV. BEFORE PRESS TIME. Young Mr. Gale, with an exceedingly peevish expression upon his handsome countenance, dropped into police headquarters with the intention of having a little talk with his friend, Chief Hodgins. He was greatly disappointed when the patrolman on guard at the head of the stairway told him that the chief was not in.