After this experience I was sitting in my office one evening, when a youngish fellow in a slouch-hat opened the door and stuck his head in.
"What do you want?" I growled.
"Are you Mr. Reed?"
"What do you want?"
"I want to speak to Mr. Reed."
"Well, what is it?"
"Are you Mr. Reed?"
"Confound you, yes! What do you want?"
"Me? I don't want anything. I'm just asking, that's all."
His impudence staggered me so that I took my feet off the desk.