"It amounts to the same thing," the mayor pleaded. "For God's sake, give me a break."
McLeod shrugged and unfolded the World clipping on his desk. "Naturally, the World will oppose your administration," he began. "Otherwise they'll never be able to live down the Star-Times' scoop on your election."
"That's precisely what I was saying. The way I understand it, you people will have to support your man. The Star-Times can't abandon me to the wolves, not now."
"I'm only a reporter," McLeod explained. "We report events, not make them."
"That's it. That's what I mean. The attitude. You're treating me like a child."
"You're acting like one."
"All I want is what's fair. Whatever you think is fair."
"Then let me read this thing." The column clipped from the World bore the cut-line COMING EVENTS. McLeod had always liked the Star-Times' LOOKING FORWARD better, although he had to admit that the World's cut of a swami rubbing his crystal ball had a certain fundamental appeal for the masses. House-written, the World column appeared under the by-line of Nostradamus.
McLeod scanned the printed lines quickly. There was a prediction on the outcome of the World Series. It had better turn out incorrect, thought McLeod: the Star-Times had spent a small fortune building up the opposing team. There was something about the dangers of forest fires and an indirect reference to the possibility of a conflagration next week in the Adirondack Game Preserve. (The Star-Times would be alerting its fire-fighting unit to prevent such a possibility, McLeod knew.) There was a talk of an impending war between Yugoslavia and France at a time when relations between the two countries were never more harmonious. McLeod wondered how the World would ever swing it. He read the last two items aloud.
"'We think it's high time the mayor of New York be exposed for his corrupt political dealings. We wouldn't be surprised if the mayor were forced to resign his office in January.... What ace reporter of what rival New York daily is going to meet with a fatal accident next week? Remember, you read it here first!'"