at was far from encouraging; but after an examination of the
presses, his courage revived.

After a great deal of talk on Mr. Opp's part, and some shrewd bargaining
on Mrs. Gusty's, the stupendous transaction was brought to a close, to
the eminent satisfaction of both parties.

* * * * *

It was late that night before Mr. Opp retired. He sat in the open window
of his bedroom and looked out upon the river. The cool night air and the
quiet light of the stars calmed the turmoil in his brain. Gradually the
colossal schemes and the towering ambitions gave way to an emotion to
which the editor-elect was by no means a stranger. It was a little
white-faced Fear that lurked always in a corner of his heart, and could
be kept down only by brave words and aggressive deeds.

He sat with his trembling knees hunched, and his arms awkwardly clasped
about them, an absurd atom in the great cosmic order; yet the soul that
looked out of his squinting, wistful eyes held all the potentialities of
life, and embodied the eternal sadness and the eternal inspiration of
human endeavor.

VII

It is no small undertaking to embark in an untried ship, upon unknown
waters, in the teeth of opposing gales. But Mr. Opp sailed the sea of
life as a valiant mariner should, self-reliant, independent, asking
advice of nobody. He steered by the guidance of his own peculiar moral
compass, regardless of the rough waters through which it led him.

Having invested the major portion of his savings in the present venture,
it was necessary to begin operations at once; but events conspired to
prevent him. Miss Kippy made many demands upon his time both by day and
night; she had transferred her affection and dependence from her father
to him, and he found himself sorely encumbered by this new
responsibility. Moreover, the attitude of the town toward the innovation
of a newspaper was one of frank skepticism, and it proved a delicate and
arduous task to create the proper public sentiment. In addition to these
troubles, Mr. Opp had a yet graver matter to hinder him: with all his
valor and energy he was suffering qualms of uncertainty as to the proper
method of starting a weekly journal.

To be sure, he had achieved a name for the paper--a name so eminently
satisfactory that he had already had it emblazoned upon a ream of office
paper. "The Opp Eagle" had sprung full-syllabled from his teeming brain,
and had been accepted ove