CHAPTER XVI. — SAM MEETS BROWN AND IS UNHAPPY,
Never doubting Sam's assurance, the stranger entered the gloomy building, the lower part of which is divided into court-rooms. Out of one of these a man came, to whom he addressed this question: "Where is the counting-room?"
"The counting-room!" repeated the man, staring. "There isn't any here, that I know of."
"I want to subscribe for the weekly edition," explained the man from Illinois.
"It strikes me you're a weakly edition of a man yourself," thought the other. "He must be a lunatic," was the next thought. "I may as well humor him."
"Go in at that door," he said.
The stranger entered as directed, and at once recognized it as a court-room.
"It is very singular that there should be a courtroom in the 'Tribune' office," he thought. He took a seat, and whispered to a man at his side: "Can you tell me where the 'Tribune' office is?"
"Printing-house Square," was the whispered reply.