"A big sensational story about an epidemic would be great meat for the 'Clarion,'" said Vane. "What does it care for the best interests of the town?"
"As an editor," observed Dr. Surtaine blandly, "my son don't appear to be over-popular with his confrères."
"Why should he be?" cried Parker. "He's forever publishing stuff that we've always let alone. Then the public wants to know why we don't get the news. Get it? Of course we get it. But we don't always want to print it. There's such a thing as a gentleman's understanding in the newspaper business."
"So I've heard," replied the chairman. "Well, gentlemen, the boy's young. Give him time."
"I'll give him six months, not longer, to go on the way he's been going," said John M. Gibbs, with a vicious snap of his teeth.
"Does the 'Clarion' really intend to publish anything about an epidemic?" asked Stickler, of the Hotel Stickler.
"Nothing is decided yet, so far as I know. But I may safely say that there's a probability of their getting up some kind of a sensational story."
"Can't you control your own son?" asked some one bluntly.
"Understand this, if you please, gentlemen. Over the Worthington 'Clarion' I have no control whatsoever."
"Well, there's where the danger lies," said Vane. "If the 'Clarion' comes out with a big story, the rest of us have got to publish something to save our face."