think you would not
care to have your paper made a laughing-stock among society ladies, who
never take the trouble to write you a letter and show you where you are
wrong, as men usually do when some mistake regarding their affairs is
made."

"There is probably something in what you say," replied the editor, with
an air of bringing the discussion to a close. "I don't insist that I am
right, but these are my ideas, and while I am editor of this paper I
shall stand by them, so it is useless for us to discuss the matter
any further, Miss Baxter. I will not have a woman as a member of the
permanent staff of the _Bugle_."

For the third time he looked up at her, and there was dismissal in his
glance.

Miss Baxter said indignantly to herself, "This brute of a man hasn't the
slightest idea that I am one of the best dressed women he has ever met."

But there was no trace of indignation in her voice when she said to him
sweetly, "We will take that as settled. But if upon some other paper,
Mr. Hardwick, I should show evidence of being as good a newspaper
reporter as any member of your staff, may I come up here, and, without
being kept waiting too long, tell you of my triumph?"

"You would not shake my decision," he said.

"Oh, don't say that," she murmured, with a smile. "I am sure you
wouldn't like it if anyone called you a fool."

"Called me a fool?" said the editor sharply, drawing down his dark
brows. "I shouldn't mind it in the least."

"What, not if it were true? You know it would be true, if I could do
something that all your clever men hadn't accomplished. An editor may
be a very talented man, but, after all, his mission is to see that his
paper is an interesting one, and that it contains, as often as possible,
something which no other sheet does."

"Oh, I'll see to that," Mr. Hardwick assured her with resolute
confidence.

"I am certain you will," said Miss Baxter very sweetly; "but now you
won't refuse to let me in whenever I send up my card? I promise you that
I shall not send it until I have done something which will make the
whole staff of the _Daily Bugle_ feel very doleful indeed."

For the first time Mr. Hardwick gave utterance to a somewhat harsh and
mirthless laugh.

"Oh, very well," he said, "I'll promise that."

"Thank you! And good afternoon, Mr. Hardwick. I am _so_ much obliged
to you for consenting to see me. I shall call upon you at this hour
to-morrow afternoon."

There was something of