evere Gusty, very large as to eyes and very small as to mouth. She
handed it to Mr. Opp, and called attention to its fine qualities.

"Just look at the lace on that dress! Mrs. Fallows picked a whole
pattern off on her needles from one of my portraits. And did you notice
the eyelashes; you can actually count 'em! She had four buttons on her
dress, but I didn't get in but three; but I ain't going to mention it to
Mrs. Gusty. Don't you think it's pretty?"

Mr. Opp, who had been smiling absently at the portrait, started
guiltily. "Yes," he said confusedly; "yes, ma'am, I think she is." Then
he felt a curious tingling about his ears and realized, to his
consternation, that he was blushing.

"She's too droopin' a type for me," said Miss Jim, removing an ostrich
tip from her angle of vision; then she continued in a side whisper:
"Say, would you mind making Nick take this bottle of milk at twelve
o'clock, and resting a little? He ain't as strong as he lets on, and he
has sort of sinking spells 'long about noon."

Receiving the bottle thus surreptitiously offered, and assisting the
lady to gather up her bundles, Mr. Opp bowed her out, and turned to face
the embarrassing necessity of giving instructions to his new employee.
He was relieved to find, however, that the young gentleman in question
possessed initiative; for Nick had promptly removed his coat, and fallen
to work, putting things to rights with an energy and ability that caused
Mr. Opp to offer up a prayer of heartfelt gratitude.

All the morning they worked silently, Mr. Opp toiling over his
editorial, with constant references to a small dictionary which he
concealed in the drawer of the table, and Nick giving the presses a
thorough and much-needed overhauling.

At the noon-hour they shared their lunch, and Mr. Opp, firm in the
authority invested in him by Miss Jim, demanded that Nick should drink
his milk, and recline at length upon the office bench for twenty
minutes. It was with great difficulty that Nick was persuaded to submit
to this transferred coddling; but he evidently realized that
insubordination at the start of his career would be fatal, and,
moreover, his limbs ached and his hands trembled.

It was in the intimacy of this, their first, staff meal, that they
discussed the policy of the paper.

"Of course," said Mr. Opp, "we have got a vast undertaking in front of
us. For the next few months we won't scarcely have time to draw a
natural breath. I am