"They make it out of the advertising, you know," put in Livingstone, timidly.
Livingstone was younger than the others, and had a smooth, fresh face.
"Of course," snapped Perner; "I know that! But they've got to have circulation before they can get the advertising, and it takes time and money—barrels of it—to get circulation."
"We'll furnish the time," suggested Van Dorn, sawing at his meat, "if Barry'll put up the capital."
"I'll do it!" he announced eagerly; "I'll do it!"
The others showed immediate interest. Barrifield looked from one to the other, repeating his assertion as if signing a verbal contract. Then his gaze wandered off into nowhere, and he absently fed himself and waited for the spirit to move further.
"I'll furnish the capital," he continued deliberately, at length, "and it won't be money, either." The three faces watching him fell. "That is, not much money. It'll take a little, of course. I think I know where I could get all the money I want—a dozen places, yes, fifty of them. But this isn't a money scheme. If it was I could get it. I know any number of men, capitalists, that would jump at it. But that isn't what we want. We want men who know what a paper is, and can do the work themselves."
"We want a good advertising man first," said Perner the businesslike.
"That's good sense," assented Barrifield, at which Perner felt complimented and began to assume proprietary airs.