"But I am really afraid," said Alice, "that the others think they came out best."
"That was part of my game," said the Red Knight. "Let them sink in the quicksands of their own delusions. Let them go on thinking they have nominated some one else. Let them go ahead and elect him. Let the fact be set down in the school histories. What does it all prove? Nothing."
The train came to a stop and Alice and the Red Knight took a taxicab for the latter's place of business. The time had come to say good-by. They stood at the door of the Outlooking Glass office, just as the edition was being made up. From the pressrooms to the editorial rooms all was animation. The chief editor was shooting copy up the tubes as fast as the office boys could write it. The latest advertisements were coming in over the wire. The desk men were waiting for the editorial writers to finish their comments on the week's news before setting down the facts.
Alice turned to shake hands with the Red Knight. It had been an exciting time, and she was tired and very anxious to be at home with mamma. But she had grown fond of her comrade in the Outlooking Glass. When she was back again at her stupid lessons, studying that 2 and 2 makes 4, and that "yes" is affirmative and "no" is negative, and that black is black and white is white, oh, how she would miss the Red Knight.
But she was very brave, and, stretching out her hand, she said, "Good-by."
The Red Knight pressed her hand affectionately.
"I wish you would write something in my little pocket album," said Alice, trying to keep back her tears.
"Gladly," said the Red Knight, and taking the book he wrote:
Never put off till to-morrow
A thing you can get today.
"Thank you," said Alice. "I don't suppose we shall ever meet again."