“The Yellow Label; or, Nick Carter and the Society Looters,” will be the title of the long, complete story which you will find in the next issue, No. 160, of the Nick Carter Stories, out October 2d. In this story Nick Carter pits his ability against a gang of crafty society crooks. Then, too, you will also find an installment of the serial now running in this publication, together with several other articles of interest.
SNAPSHOT ARTILLERY.
By BERTRAM LEBHAR.
(This interesting story was commenced in No. 153 of Nick Carter Stories. Back numbers can always be obtained from your news dealer or the publishers.)
CHAPTER XXVI.
A BIG HIT.
Before the hour for going to press arrived, two more attempts were made to prevent the Bulletin’s snapshots from reaching the public. The first of these was an endeavor to persuade Carroll’s printers and pressmen to go on strike. The men were approached by a local politician, who offered them tempting cash inducements to refuse to get out the paper. But both the composing-room and pressroom forces indignantly refused to listen to this sinister suggestion. They all liked their young employer, and admired him for the plucky fight he was making. There was not a man of them whose loyalty could be shaken. So this attempt proved as futile as had been the effort to bribe the Bulletin’s photo-engraver.
The other attempt was of a more violent nature. Just as the paper was going to press, a gang of hoodlums endeavored to force their way into the Bulletin Building, with the obvious intention of invading the pressroom, and smashing the forms. But Carroll barred the doors, and from a window of the editorial rooms addressed the band of toughs, displaying a revolver, and threatening to shoot the first man who dared to set foot within the premises. There was a note in his voice which caused them to believe that he meant business, and kept them back.
This last effort of the enemy having failed, like the others, nothing else occurred to interfere with the getting out the Bulletin, and a few hours later, the citizens of Oldham were chuckling over Hawley’s snapshots, and warmly praising Carroll’s newspaper for its enterprise and fearlessness.
The success of the Bulletin’s exposé was even greater than the Camera Chap had predicted. Not only was the entire issue sold out, but the name of Carroll’s newspaper was on every tongue, which, of course, was a fine thing from the standpoint of future circulation; for the more a newspaper is talked about, the more it is read.[Pg 42] In fact, many persons who found it impossible to obtain copies of the paper, on account of the unprecedented demand, called at the Bulletin office that day, and paid for a year’s subscription, so as to guard against the possibility of such a thing happening again.
Letters of congratulation came pouring in by every mail. “Constant Reader,” “Pro Bono Publico,” “Vox Populi,” and a host of others eagerly wrote to thank the editor of the Bulletin for the public service which he had rendered.