Up under Denton's fair skin ran a flush of pink. "Who are you?" he blurted.
"You are speaking to Mr. Elias M. Pierce," said Douglas hastily.
Six weeks before, young Denton would perhaps have moderated his attitude in the interests of his job. But now through the sensitive organism of the newspaper office had passed the new vigor; the feeling of independence and of the higher responsibility to the facts of the news only. The men believed that they would be upheld within their own rights and those of the paper. Harrington Surtaine's standards had been not only absorbed: they had been magnified and clarified by minds more expert than his own. Subconsciously, Denton felt that his employer was back of him, must be back of him in any question of professional honor.
"What I've got to say, I've said in writing."
"Show it to me." The insolence of the command was quite unconscious.
The reporter turned to Hal.
"Mr. Denton," said Hal, "did Miss Pierce explain why she didn't return after running the nurse down?"
"She said she was in a hurry: that she had a train to catch."
"Did you ask her if she was exceeding the speed limit?"
"She was not," interjected Elias M. Pierce.