ey were in the library with their
coffee, mirth seemed to leave the gathering, and a certain constraint
fell upon them all. Each of the men wanted to talk to Judith of matters
which were too intimate to share with the other. Their remarks
diminished rapidly in frequency and extent, and presently there was
complete silence. It was necessary for Judith to break it. She thought
it best to get to the heart of things immediately. She addressed herself
first to Good.

"Shall I tell him what we have done?" she asked, as if not quite sure of
herself. The tall man nodded, not very enthusiastically, it seemed to
Imrie.

"Well...." Again she hesitated. "I suppose it's best to break the news
without any preliminaries?" Good nodded his assent.

"Still, it's so _very_ surprising--however, the fact is ... we've bought
a newspaper--_The Dispatch_!"

"Yes?" Imrie refused to show any surprise at all. Obviously he thought
it was some subtle jest they were playing upon him.

"You don't understand," cried Judith, "I'm the owner of a newspaper."

"Well--what for?"

"To tell the truth," she said solemnly.

Imrie smiled indulgently. "That's praiseworthy, I'm sure," he said
ironically.

That was too much for Good. Obviously the clergyman did not understand.
He must be made to understand. His timidity slipped from him and he
plunged into an explanation of the great plans they were making.

Imrie listened attentively, and as he caught the significance of the
idea his manner changed from scepticism to something approaching
enthusiasm. Then his face slowly hardened and a semblance of a sneer
formed on his lips.

"Telling the truth may get you into trouble," he said half to himself.

"Of course," cried Good, "it not only may--it's certain to."

Imrie turned to Judith. "Are you as optimistic as Mr. Good?"

Her lips narrowed ever so slightly and a faint suggestion of a gleam
came into her eyes. Then she shrugged her shoulders and laughed lightly.
"If trouble comes--I shall be ready."

"But you're not sure that it will come?"

"I'm not experienced in such things. Were you sure of trouble when you
delivered your sermon this morning?"

"Quite."

"Did it come?"

"It did."

Imrie smiled pleasantly enough but the bitterness of his tone was not
lost on Judith.

"Arnold--what do you mean--what trouble?"

"What would you expect? I have resigned."

"The devil!" cried Good.

Judith's amazement was not feigned. It struck Imrie tha