To respect for this habitude, Reginald Currier, known to mortals as Bim, Guardian of the Sacred Gates, had been rigorously educated. But Bim had a creed of his own which mollified the rigidity of specific standards, and one tenet thereof was the apothegm, "Once a 'Clarion' man, always a 'Clarion' man," the same applying to women. Therefore, when Milly Neal appeared at the gate at 9.05 in the evening, the Cerberus greeted her professionally with a "How goes it, Miss Cutie?" and passed her in without question. She went straight to the inner office.
"Hoong!" grunted McGuire Ellis, rubbing his eyes in a desperate endeavor to disentangle dreams from actualities. "What are you doing here?"
"I want to see Mr. Surtaine."
Something in the girl's aspect put Ellis on his guard. "What do you want to see him about?" he asked.
"I don't see any Examination Bureau license pinned to you, Ellis," she retorted hardily.
"The Boss is out."
"I don't believe it."
"All right," said McGuire Ellis equably. "I'm a liar."
"Then you're the proper man for a 'Clarion' job," came the savage retort.
"Come off, Kitty. Don't be young!"