“I am in search of information, Thursday,” said Uncle John in his pleasant way.  “Will you permit me to question you a bit?”

“Certainly, sir.”

“And you, Hetty?”

“Ask anything you like, sir.”

“Thank you.  To begin with, what are your future plans?  I understand, of course, you are to be married; but—­afterward?”

“We haven’t considered that as yet, sir,” replied Thursday thoughtfully.  “Of course we shall stay with the Tribune as long as you care to employ our services; but—­”

“Well?”

“I have been given to understand the young ladies plan to return to New York at the end of September, and in that case of course the paper will suspend.”

“My nieces will be obliged to abandon journalism, to be sure,” said Mr. Merrick; “but I see no reason why the paper should suspend.  How would you and Hetty like to remain in Millville and run it?”

Both Thursday and Hetty smiled, but it was the man who answered;

“We cannot afford such a luxury, sir.”

“Would you care to make your future home in Millville?”

“Oh, yes!” exclaimed Hetty.  “I love the quaint little town dearly, and the villagers are all my friends.  I’m sure Thursday doesn’t care to go back to New York, where—­where Harold Melville once lived.  But, as he truly says, we couldn’t make a living with the Tribune, even if you gave us the use of the plant.”

“Let us see about that,” said Uncle John.  “I will admit, in advance, that a daily paper in such a place is absurd.  None of us quite understood that when we established the Tribune.  My nieces thought a daily the only satisfactory sort of newspaper, because they were used to such, but it did not take long to convince me—­and perhaps them—­that in spite of all our efforts the Millville Daily Tribune would never thrive.  It is too expensive to pay its own way and requires too much work to be a pleasant plaything.  Only unbounded enthusiasm and energy have enabled my clever nieces to avoid being swamped by the monster their ambition created.”

“That,” said Patsy, with a laugh, “is very clearly and concisely put, my dear Uncle.”

“It was never intended to be a permanent thing, anyhow,” continued Mr. Merrick; “yet I must express my admiration for the courage and talent my nieces have displayed in forcing a temporary success where failure was the logical conclusion.  Shortly, however, they intend to retire gracefully from the field of journalism, leaving me with a model country newspaper plant on my hands.  Therefore it is I, Thursday and Hetty, and not my nieces, who have a proposition to place before you.