Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/75

 tening to everything and holding tight to the desk.

Munson had laughed scornfully at Haskill's explanation. "Who do you think will believe that fairy story? " he asked. "Oh," he went on, "you have beaten us all right on this story—we acknowledge that."

Stone blew smoke. "Good of you," he said.

"But we'll have a story to-morrow that you won't have, that you won't care to print."

"It won't be the first time," replied Stone, who then remembered something and left the gate for the private office.

Munson was going on, "It'll be a three-column expose of The Day's 'upright journalistic methods,' describing this whole traitorous performance. We can get affidavits that we gave that man Woods"

Billy Woods's foot tapped on the floor and at the same time Haskill interrupted: "In the first place, no one would believe Woods was on your staff for ten minutes to-day; no one believes you, you know; and besides, how did you people get that tip anyway, I'd like to know"

"As for affidavits," put in Sampson,