He was the representative of McLean & Swazey, a college graduate of a type then new, though now much commoner, in the developing profession of advertising.  He had read the peccant editorial with a genuine relish of its charm and skill, and had justly estimated it for what it was, an intellectual jeu d’esprit, the expression of a passing fancy for a tempting subject, not of a policy to be further pursued.

“Enough has been said, I think, to define our position,” said he.  “All that we need is some assurance that Mr. Banneker’s wit and skill will not be turned again to the profit of our competitors who, by the way, do not advertise in The Patriot.”

Haring eagerly gave the assurance.  He would have given assurance of Banneker’s head on a salver to be rid of these persecuting autocrats.  They withdrew, leaving behind an atmosphere of threat and disaster, dark, inglorious clouds of which Haring trailed behind him when he entered the office of the owner with his countenance of woe.  His postulate was that Mr. Marrineal should go to his marplot editor and duly to him lay down the law; no more offending of the valuable department-store advertisers.  No; nor of any others.  Or he, Haring (greatly daring), would do it himself.

Beside the sweating and agonizing business manager, Marrineal looked very cool and tolerant and mildly amused.

“If you did that, Mr. Haring, do you appreciate what the result would be?  We should have another editorial worse than the first, as soon as Mr. Banneker could think it out.  No; you leave this to me.  I’ll manage it.”

His management took the negative form of a profound silence upon the explicit point.  But on the following morning Banneker found upon his desk a complete analytical table showing the advertising revenue of the paper by classes, with a star over the department-store list, indicating a dated withdrawal of twenty-two thousand dollars a year.  The date was of that day.  Thus was Banneker enabled to figure out, by a simple process, the loss to himself of any class of advertising, or even small group in a class, dropping out of the paper.  It was clever of Marrineal, he admitted to himself, and, in a way, disappointing.  His proffered gage of battle had been refused, almost ignored.  The issue was not to be joined when he was ready, but when Marrineal was ready, and on Marrineal’s own ground.  Very well, Banneker could be a good waiter.  Meantime he had at least asserted his independence.

Io called him up by ’phone, avid of news of the editorial, and he was permitted to take her to luncheon and tell her all about it.  In her opinion he had won a victory; established a position.  Banneker was far less sanguine; he had come to entertain a considerable respect for Marrineal’s capacity.  And he had another and more immediate complication on his mind, which fact his companion, by some occult exercise of divination, perceived.