Back at the office, Hal, settling down to write his editorial, put the matter of the Rookeries temporarily out of mind, but made a note to question his father about it.
Milly Neal's article, touched up and amplified by Hal's pen, appeared the following morning. The editorial was to be a follow-up in the next day's paper. Coming down early to put the finishing touches to this, Hal found the article torn out and pasted on a sheet of paper. Across the top of the paper was written in pencil:
"Clipped from the Clarion; a Deadly Parallel."
The penciled legend ran across the sheet to include, under its caption a second excerpt, also in "Clarion" print, but of the advertisement style:
WANTED—Sewing-girls for simple machine work. Experience not necessary.
$10 to $15 a week guaranteed. Apply in person at 14 Manning Street.
THE SEWING AID ASSOCIATION.
Below, in the same hand writing was the query:
"What's your percentage of the blood-money, Mr. Harrington Surtaine?"
Hal threw it over to Ellis. "Whose writing is that?" he asked. "It looks familiar to me."
"Max Veltman's," said Ellis. He took in the meaning of it. "The insolent whelp!" he said.
"Insolent? Yes; he's that. But the worst of it is, I'm afraid he's right." And he telephoned for Shearson.