“I don’t know,” answered the other after a pause. “I intend to find out.”
“You intend to find out why it is so reticent on every point that might impugn the police, I take it. I could tell you; but yours is the better way. You gave the same interview to your own paper that you gave to The Patriot, I assume. By the way, what a commentary on journalism that the most scurrilous sheet in New York should have given the fullest and frankest treatment to the subject; a paper written by the dregs of Park Row for the reading of race-track touts and ignorant servant girls!”
“Yes; I gave them the same interview. It may have been crowded out—”
“For lack of space,” supplied Enderby in a tone which the other heartily disliked. “Mr. Banneker, I thought that this was to be in the open.”
“I’m wrong,” confessed the other. “I’ll know by this evening why the police part was handled that way, and if it was policy—” He stopped, considering.
“Well?” prompted the other.
“I’ll go through to the finish with your committee.”
“You’re as good as pledged,” retorted the lawyer. “I shall expect to hear from you.”
As soon as he could find Tommy Burt, Banneker put to him the direct question. “What is the matter with the story as I gave it to you?”
Burt assumed an air of touching innocence. “The story had to be handled with great care,” he explained blandly.