Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/149

 of the day, the biggest story of many days, in some respects; but this would not have been the case if young Carrington had not been sent to cover it.

"He probably won't say much," Van Cise, the city editor, had said, "but watch him if he gets to talking about the Convention. You understand? That's the story to-day, of course."

"Of course," said Carrington, the cub, putting on his hat excitedly. He did not understand at all. He was not interested in conventions and seldom read the political columns. All he understood was that they were sending him to interview the Secretary of State of these United States, and it felt good. So he hurried down the stairs with his brows knit like the older reporters starting out on their big stories.

He felt considerably awed when he arrived at the Fifth Avenue Hotel and was led into the small parlor where the other reporters were waiting, because here he found himself face to face with some of the best-known newspaper men on Park Row, and a number of prominent correspondents for out-of-town