During the next three days so many things happened at Millville that the natives were in a panic of excitement.  Not only was electricity brought from the paper mill, but a telegraph wire was run from Chazy Junction to Bob West’s former storage shed and a telephone gang came along and placed a private wire, with long-distance connections, in the new newspaper office.  The office itself became transformed—­“as full o’ winders as a hothouse!” exclaimed Peggy McNutt, with bulging eyes—­and neat partitions were placed for the offices.  There was no longer any secret as to the plans of the “nabobs”; it was generally understood that those terribly aggressive girls were going to inflict a daily paper on the community.  Some were glad, and some rebelled, but all were excited.  A perpetual meeting was held at Cotting’s store to discuss developments, for something startling occurred every few minutes.

“It’s a outrage, this thing,” commented young Skim Clark despondently.  “They’re tryin’ to run mother out o’ business—­an’ she a widder with me to look after!  Most o’ the business at the Emporium is done in newspapers an’ magazines an’ sich; so these gals thought they’d cut under an’ take the business away from her.”

“Can’t the Widder Clark sell the new paper, then?” asked the blacksmith.

“I dunno.  Hadn’t thought o’ that,” said Skim.  “But the price is to be jus’ one cent, an’ we’ve ben gittin’ five cents fer all the outside papers.  Where’s the profit comin’ from, on one cent, I’d like to know?  Why, we make two or three cents on all the five cent papers.”

“As fer that,” remarked the druggist, “we’ll get a cheap paper—­if it’s any good—­an’ that’s somethin’ to be thankful for.”

“’Twon’t be any good,” asserted Skim.  “Ma says so.”

But no one except McNutt was prepared to agree with this prediction.  The extensive plans in preparation seemed to indicate that the new paper would be fully equal to the requirements of the populace.

On Monday, when the news spread that two big freight cars had arrived at the Junction, and Nick Thorne began working three teams to haul the outfit to Millville, the rest of the town abandoned all business other than watching the arrival of the drays.  Workmen and machinists arrived from the city and began unpacking and setting up the presses, type cases and all other paraphernalia, every motion being watched by eager faces that lined the windows.  These workmen were lodged at the hotel, which had never entertained so many guests at one time in all its past history.  The three girls, even more excited and full of awe than the townspeople, were at the office early and late, taking note of everything installed and getting by degrees a fair idea of the extent of their new plaything.

“It almost takes my breath away, Uncle,” said Patsy.  “You’ve given the Tribune such a splendid start that we must hustle to make good and prove we are worthy your generosity.”