I thought it was because of what I had done to
McGraw. It wasn't. It was on the strength of the Marna Corcoran
interview."
"Good God!"
"I needed a job, too. But I didn't take either of those. Later I got a
better one with a decent newspaper. The managing editor said when he
took me on: 'Mr. Edmonds, we don't approve of assaults on the city desk.
But if you ever receive in this office an assignment of the kind that
caused your outbreak, you may take it out on me.' There are pretty fine
people in the newspaper business, too."
Edmonds retrieved his pipe, discovering with a look of reproach and
dismay that it was out. He wiped away some tiny drops of sweat which had
come out upon the grayish skin beneath his eyes, while he was recounting
his tragedy.
"That makes my troubles seem petty," said Banneker, under his breath. "I
wonder--"
"You wonder why I told you all this," supplemented the veteran. "Since I
have, I'll tell you the rest; how I made atonement in a way. Ten years
ago I was on a city desk myself. Not very long; but long enough to find
I didn't like it. A story came to me through peculiar channels. It was a
scandal story; one of those things that New York society whispers about
all over the place, yet it's almost impossible to get anything to go on.
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