"I am glad to see you, Mr. Polden," he said, glancing at the editor's card. "I have already had some conversation with our young friend there," he added, glancing towards the reporter. "What can I have the pleasure of doing for you?"
Mr. Polden produced a sheet of proofs from his pocket. He passed them over to Mannering.
"I should like you to examine these, sir," he said.
"In type already!" Mannering remarked, calmly.
"In proof for our evening's issue," Polden answered.
Mannering read them through.
"It will cost you several thousand pounds!" he said.
"Then the money will be well spent," Polden answered. "No one has a higher regard for you politically than I have, Mr. Mannering, but we don't want you as member for West Leeds. That's all!"
"It happens," Mannering said, "that I am particularly anxious to sit for West Leeds."
"You will go on—in the face of this?" the editor asked Mannering.