the enlistment of _The Dispatch_ under the
glowing banner of the single-tax."

He folded his arms and waited for a reply. Roger cast a troubled glance
at Good, and turned away helplessly from the blank countenance which met
him. It seemed to the tall man, studying his protege narrowly through
half-closed lids, that he was indecisive. But he waited hopefully. He
was not certain. Presently Roger bit off the end of a cigar, and chewed
it thoughtfully. Then he squared his shoulders and the light of
resolution came into his eyes. Good sighed contentedly. He had been
mistaken.

"I guess you don't quite understand _The Dispatch_, Mr. Burdick," said
Roger quietly, but none the less firmly. "It doesn't take sides."

"But the single-tax...."

"It makes no difference what the side is. We're not partisan."

"But, my dear sir," cried Mr. Burdick, a quite unsuspected temper
manifesting itself. "It's not a political party. It's not a religion.
It's not--dogmatic in any sense. It's just--an _idea_. You seem to
favour advanced ideas. You give space ... why, you had two columns about
a socialist meeting that was raided by the police!"

"I know," said Roger gently. "But--that was news."

The subtle distinctions implied in that sentence appeared to halt the
little man for a moment. But he was not long daunted.

"Well," he cried triumphantly, "wasn't the abolition of slavery _news_?
Wouldn't the abolition of poverty be _news_? My dear young man--" His
tone became unmistakably patronising. "It would be the most tremendous
piece of news you could possibly print. Everything else would pale into
insignificance beside it. Why...."

"Mr. Burdick," Roger's voice was a trifle cold. The intimation of
patronage had annoyed him. "Personally I might have all kinds of
sympathy with the idea you represent. But that has nothing to do with
it. We're running a _news_paper--nothing else. We print news--not
opinions. The distinction must be clear to you, I'm sure." His momentary
irritation had vanished, and he finished with a friendly smile.

But Mr. Burdick's wrath was not to be thus easily assuaged.

"Then you decline to take any interest in our cause?" he demanded
belligerently, his sudden truculence contrasting very curiously with his
peaceful face. As a matter of fact, no one could be more keenly
conscious of his inadequate appearance than he was himself. More than
once he had stood before his mirror and cursed the image which blinked
timidl