Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/172

 said, "Oh, I've seen it," and turned around. "There's no mistaking what they want people to think of me. It's quite explicit." He was wondering how many people would read it. A good many. Carrington up at the Fifth Avenue read it. Hopper made him read it twice.

One of the copy-readers whispered, "It looks like a private tip from head-quarters; they wouldn't dare risk a libel suit by such accusations against Reed, if they didn't have a denial from the Secretary of State himself." "Nonsense," said Van Cise. "There hasn't been time since we came out."

"No, but someone at the Convention may have got him on the long-distance wire half an hour ago and then have rung up The Earth and given them the tip exclusively."

The telephone bell whirred and Van Cise ran into the box before the boy could reach it, and a moment later his loud voice came echoing out: "For Heaven's sake, Reed, come here—there, you take this one; I'll switch on by the other one."

"Hello," called Reed, "Yes, hello, hello, Hopper—(keep out, Central)—go on, Hop-