"See here," cried he, leaning forward, "what's it all about? Let's have it. If you've anything to say about those articles, say it right out. Never mind our best interests. We can look after them. Let's have what's worrying you." Psmith waved a deprecating hand. "Do not let us be abrupt on this happy occasion. To me it is enough simply to sit and chat with Comrade Parker, irrespective of the trend of his conversation. Still, as time is money, and this is our busy day, possibly it might be as well, sir, if you unburdened yourself as soon as convenient. Have you come to point out some flaw in those articles? Do they fall short in any way of your standard for such work?" Mr. Parker's smooth face did not change its expression, but he came to the point. "I should not go on with them if I were you," he said. "Why?" demanded Billy. "There are reasons why you should not," said Mr. Parker. "And there are reasons why we should." "Less powerful ones." There proceeded from Billy a noise not describable in words. It was partly a snort, partly a growl. It resembled more than anything else the preliminary sniffing snarl a bull-dog emits before he joins battle. Billy's cow-boy blood was up. He was rapidly approaching the state of mind in which the men of the plains, finding speech unequal to the expression of their thoughts, reach for their guns. Psmith intervened. "We do not completely gather your meaning, Comrade Parker. I fear we must ask you to hand it to us with still more breezy frankness. Do you speak from purely friendly motives? Are you advising us to discontinue the articles merely because you fear that they will damage our literary reputation? Or are there other reasons why you feel that they should cease? Do you speak solely as a literary connoisseur? Is it the style or the subject-matter of which you disapprove?" Mr. Parker leaned forward. "The gentleman whom I represent--" "Then this is no matter of your own personal taste? You are an emissary?" "These articles are causing a certain inconvenience to the gentleman whom I represent. Or, rather, he feels that, if continued, they may do so." "You mean," broke in Billy explosively, "that if we kick up enough fuss to make somebody start a commission to inquire into this rotten business, your friend who owns the private Hades we're trying to get improved, will have to get busy and lose some of his money by making the houses fit to live in? Is that it?" "It is not so much the money, Mr. Windsor, though, of course, the expense would be considerable. My employer is a wealthy man." "I bet he is," said Billy disgustedly. "I've no doubt he makes a mighty good pile out of Pleasant Street."