Brooks, Colton’s son-in-law, now came in.  This man, while a floor-walker in a dry-goods store, had attracted Witherspoon’s notice, and a position in the Colossus, at that time an experiment, was given him.  He recognized the demands of his calling, and he strove to fit himself to them.  Several years later he married Miss Colton, and now he was in a position of such confidence that many schemes for the broadening of trade and for the pleasing of the public’s changeful fancy were entrusted to his management.  He was of a size which appears to set off clothes to the best advantage.  His face was pale and thoughtful, and he had the shrewd faculty of knowing when to smile.  His eyes were of such a bulge as to give him a spacious range of vision without having to turn his head, and while moving about in the discharge of his duty, he often saw sudden situations that were not intended for his entertainment.

Brooks was prepared for the meeting, and conducted himself with a dignity that would have cast no discredit upon the ablest floor-walker in Christendom.  He had known that he could not fail to be impressed by one so closely allied by blood to Mr. George Witherspoon, but really he had not expected to meet a man of so distinguished a bearing, a traveler and a scholar, no doubt.

“Traveler enough to know that I have seen but little, and scholar enough to feel my ignorance,” Henry replied.

“Oh, you do yourself an injustice, I am sure, but you do it gracefully.  We shall meet often, of course.  Mr. Witherspoon,” he added, addressing the head of the Colossus, “we have just arrested that Mrs. McNutt.”

“How’s that?  What Mrs. McNutt?”

“Why, the woman who was suspected of shop-lifting.  This time we caught her in the act.”

“Ah, hah.  Have you sent her away?”

“Not yet.  She begs for an interview with you—­says she can explain everything.”

“Don’t want to see her; let her explain to the law.”

“That’s what I told her, sir.”

Brooks bowed and withdrew.  Old man Colton was already at his desk.

“Now, my son,” said Witherspoon, aimlessly fumbling with some papers on his desk, “I should think that the first thing to be attended to is that statement for the newspapers.  Wait a moment, and we will consult Brooks.  He knows more in that line than any one else about the place.”  He tapped a bell.  “Mr. Brooks,” he said when a boy appeared.  Brooks came, and Witherspoon explained.

“Ah, I see,” said Brooks.  “You don’t want to give it to any one paper, for that isn’t business.  We’ll draw off a statement and send it to the City Press Association, and then it will be given out to all the papers.”

“That is a capital idea; you will help us get it up.”

“Yes, sir,” said Brooks, bowing.

“That will not be necessary,” Henry protested, unable to disguise his disapproval of the arrangement.  “I can write it in a very short time.”