Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/201

 ing to the way it hurts me. Every time I jump on one of you fellows it rebounds on me with redoubled force. Why, sometimes, I tell you what it is, I can't get to sleep at night thinking about things I've said during the day."

Everyone of the staff that could had turned red, and a number that thought they could not.

Newspaper men can't stand much of this sort of thing, but none of them had sense enough to stop him. They just stood there looking silly and feeling foolish, and they might have allowed him to go on until he had made them wish they had not given him a watch, if an impudent office-boy had not broken in at that point. "T'ree cheers for Mr. Maguire," cried the shrill voice. "Hurrah!"

No one joined in, but all began to laugh, and Maguire laughed too, and that broke the strain.

Henderson set an example for the rest by going up and offering his hand to Maguire.

The city editor shook it, and then saying, "Tell the boys for me, will you, Henderson,