xactly a sumptuous berth for you, but it's a bit better
salary."

"I'm not thinking of the salary. Oh, yes, I am, though; God forgive
me, I'm thinking of nothing else."

"Salary apart," said Maddox, with the least touch of resentment, "it's
a better thing for you to edit _The Planet_ than to sub-edit
_Metropolis_."

"Of course it is. Still, I should like to know why you want me to
throw Jewdwine over."

"Hang Jewdwine. I said _Metropolis_."

"I'm glad you admit the distinction."

"I _don't_ admit it."

"Why do you want me to throw the thing over, then? Do you mean that I
can't work for you and Jewdwine at the same time?"

"I never said anything about Jewdwine at all. But--if you will have
it--I can't say I consider the connection desirable for the editor of
_The Planet_."

"I think I'm the best judge of that."

"I said--for the editor of _The Planet_."

"For the editor of _The Planet_ then, why not?"

"Ours is a poor but honest paper," said Maddox with his devilish
twinkle.

"I don't see how I can very well be the editor of _The Planet_ so long
as it insists on shying a dead cat every week at the editor of
_Metropolis_."

"We have never mentioned the editor of _Metropolis_. Still--if you can
induce Rankin to give up his little jest--the cat is certainly very
dead by this time."

"He'll have to give it up if you make me editor."

"You'd better tell him so."

"I shall."

"All right, Rickets; only wait till you _are_ editor. Then you can put
as much side on as you like."

"Good heavens, did you ever see me put on side?"

"Well, I've seen you strike an attitude occasionally."

"All my attitudes put together hardly amount to side."

"They do, if they assume that they're going to affect the attitude of
our paper."

"I didn't know it had one."

"It has a very decided attitude with regard to the ethics of
reviewing; and whatever else you make it give up, it's not going to
give up that. _The Planet_, Ricky, doesn't put on side. Side would be
fatal to any freedom in the handling of dead cats. I wouldn't go so
far as to say that it makes its moral being its prime care; but there
are some abuses which it lives to expose, though the exposure doesn't
help it much to live."

"Oh, I say, Maddy! That's what keeps you going. My poems would have
sunk you long ago, if it hadn't been for your thrilling
personalities."

"Personalities or no personalities, what I mean to rub into you is
that _The Planet_