od looks don't make a lawyer!" retorted Bruce.

"But she's clever--got ideas--opinions of her own, and strong ones
too."

"Perhaps."

The reporter blew out a cloud of smoke.

"Arn, I've been thinking about a very interesting possibility."

"Well, make it short, and get in there and write your story!"

"I've been thinking," continued Billy meditatively, "over what an
interesting situation it would make if the super-masculine editor of
the _Express_ should fall in love with the lady law----"

Bruce sprang up.

"Confound you, Billy! If I don't crack that empty little----"

But Billy, tilted back in his chair, held out his cigarette case
imperturbably.

"Take one, Arn. You'll find them very soothing for the nerves."

"You impertinent little pup, you!" He grabbed Billy by his long hair,
held him a moment--then grinned affectionately and took a cigarette.
"You're the worst ever!" He dropped back into his chair. "Now shut
up!"

"All right. But speaking impersonally, and with the unemotional
aloofness of a critic, you'll have to admit that it would make a good
dramatic situation."

"Blast you!" cried the editor. "Shall I fire you, or chuck you through
the window?"

"Inasmuch as our foremost scientists are uniformly agreed that certain
unpleasant results may eventuate when the force of gravitation brings
a human organism into sudden and severe juxtaposition with a cement
sidewalk, I humbly suggest that you fire me. Besides, that act will
automatically avenge me, for then your yellow old newspaper will go
plum to blazes!"

"For God's sake, Billy, get out of here and let me work!"

"But, seriously, Arn--I really am serious now"--and all the mischief
had gone out of the reporter's eyes--"that Miss West would have put up
a stunning fight if she had had any sort of a case. But she had
nothing to fight with. They certainly had the goods on her old man!"

Bruce turned from his machine and regarded the reporter thoughtfully.
Then he crossed and closed the door which was slightly ajar, and again
fixed his eyes searchingly on young Harper.

"Billy," he said in a low, impressive voice, "can you keep a big
secret?"

At Bruce's searching, thoughtful gaze a look of humility crept into
Billy's face.

"Oh, I know you've got every right to doubt me," he acknowledged. "I
certainly did leak a lot at the mouth in Chicago when I was boozing so
much. But you know since you pulled me out of that wild bunch I was
drinking my