"
Him, Mr. Greenough, impassive joss of the city desk, regarded with a
chill eye. "One reporter visiting another gets into a muss and shoots up
some riverside toughs," he remarked contemptuously. "You can hardly
expect our public to get greatly excited over that. Are we going into
the business of exploiting our own cubs?"
Thereupon there was sharp discussion to which Mr. Gordon put an end by
remarking that the evening papers would doubtless give them a lead;
meantime they could get Banneker's version.
First to come in was The Evening New Yorker, the most vapid of all the
local prints, catering chiefly to the uptown and shopping element. Its
heading half-crossed the page proclaiming "Guest of Yachtsman Shoots
Down Thugs." Nowhere in the article did it appear that Banneker had any
connection with the newspaper world. He was made to appear as a young
Westerner on a visit to the yacht of a millionaire business man, having
come on from his ranch in the desert, and presumptively--to add the
touch of godhead--a millionaire himself.
"The stinking liars!" said Andreas.
"That settles it," declared Mr. Gordon. "We'll give the facts plainly
and without sensationalism; but all the facts."
"Including Mr. Banneker's connection here?" inquired Mr.
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