“It always does, until you get old in the business. How would you like a New York job on the strength of it?”
Banneker stared. “You mean that I could get on a paper just by writing that?”
“I didn’t say so. Though I’ve known poorer stuff land more experienced men.”
“More experienced; that’s the point, isn’t it? I’ve had none at all.”
“So much the better. A metropolitan paper prefers to take a man fresh and train him to its own ways. There’s your advantage if you can show natural ability. And you can.”
“I see,” muttered Banneker thoughtfully.
“Where does Miss Van Arsdale live?” asked the reporter without the smallest change of tone.
“What do you want to see Miss Van Arsdale for?” returned the other, his instantly defensive manner betraying him to the newspaper man.
“You know as well as I do,” smiled Gardner.
“Miss Van Arsdale has been ill. She’s a good deal of a recluse. She doesn’t like to see people.”