Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/54

 "takes," gave them to several compositors, who put them in type as fast as they knew how. In a few minutes the galley proofs were down on Stone's desk, with Haskill bending over Stone's shoulder saying, "Isn't it beautiful! Isn't it beautiful!" Stone made a printer's sign on the margin to turn a "u" right side up and said: "This much is ours, anyway."

Haskill said, "Think we'll get it all?"

Stone glanced down at Woods. "Hello," he said, "what's that boy up to?"

A few minutes before, one of the numerous office-boys had brought in some copy from the man covering a spiritualist convention uptown. Now he was walking slowly up and down behind Billy Woods. Presently he turned and walked up to the desk. He was an odd-looking boy with a peculiar, matured face. He looked very solemn. "Please, Mr. Stone," he said, "kin I go home now? My old mother is sick and I promised her"

"Well, I'm afraid you lied to her if you're not lying to me, for you're to stay here till we go to press to-night."