"All right. But at least give it to 'em well done. And cut out the printing of wild rumors as news. That doesn't get a paper anything in the long run. None of your readers have any faith in The Patriot." "Does any paper have the confidence of its public?" returned Marrineal. Touched upon a sensitive spot, Edmonds cursed briefly. "If it hasn't, it's because the public has a dam'-fool fad for pretending it doesn't believe what it reads. Of course it believes it! Otherwise, how would it know who's president, or that the market sagged yesterday? This 'I-never-believe-what-I-read-in-the-papers' guff makes me sick to the tips of my toes." "Only the man who knows newspapers from the inside can disbelieve them scientifically," put in Banneker with a smile. "What would _you_ do with The Patriot if you had it?" interrogated the proprietor. "I? Oh, I'd try to make it interesting," was the prompt and simple reply. "How, interesting?" For his own purposes Banneker chose to misinterpret the purport of the question. "So interesting that half a million people would have to read it." "You think you could do that?" "I think it could be done." "Will you come with me and try it?" "You're offering me a place on The Patriot staff?" "Precisely. Mr. Edmonds is joining." That gentleman breathed a small cloud of blue vapor into the air together with the dispassionate query: "Is that so? Hadn't heard of it." "My principle in business is to determine whether I want a man or an article, and then bid a price that can't be rejected." "Sound," admitted the veteran. "Perfectly sound. But I'm not specially in need of money." "I'm offering you opportunity." "What kind?" "Opportunity to handle big stories according to the facts as you see them. Not as you had to handle the Sippiac strike story." Edmonds set down his pipe. "What did you think of that?" "A masterpiece of hinting and suggestion and information for those who can read between the lines. Not many have the eye for it. With me you won't have to write between the lines. Not on labor or political questions, anyway. You're a Socialist, aren't you?" "Yes. You're not going to make The Patriot a Socialist paper, are you?" "Some people might call it that. I'm going to make it a popular paper. It's going to be for the many against the few. How are you going to bring about Socialism?" "Education." "Exactly! What better chance could you ask? A paper devoted to the interests of the masses, and willing to print facts. I want you to do the same sort of thing that you've been doing for The Courier; a job of handling the big, general stories. You'll be responsible to me alone. The salary will be a third higher than you are now getting. Think it over." "I've thought. I'm bought," said Russell Edmonds. He resumed his pipe. "And you, Mr. Banneker?" "I'm not a Socialist, in the party sense. Besides a Socialist paper in New York has no chance of big circulation."