“He was right in that and you were wrong, Ban.  He had to follow the comptroller there.”

“Is that where our split with Enderby is going to come?  Over the election?”

“Yes.  Enderby is the brains and character back of the Laird administration.  He represents the clean government crowd, with its financial power.”

Banneker stirred fretfully in his chair.  “Damn it!” he growled.  “I wish we could run this paper as a newspaper and not as a chestnut rake.”

“How sweet and simple life would be!” mocked the veteran.  “Still, you know, if you’re going to use The Patriot as a blunderbuss to point at the heads of your own enemies, you can’t blame the owner if he—­”

“You think Marrineal knows?” interposed Banneker sharply.

“About The Searchlight matter?  You can bet on one thing, Ban.  Everything that Ely Ives knows, Tertius Marrineal knows.  So far as Ives thinks it advisable for him to know, that is.  Over and above which Tertius is no fool, himself.  You may have noticed that.”

“It’s bothered me from time to time,” admitted the other dryly.

“It’ll bother both of us more, presently,” prophesied Edmonds.

“Then I’ve been playing direct into Marrineal’s hands in attacking Laird on the franchise matter.”

“Yes.  Keep on.”

“Strange advice from you, Pop.  You think my position on that is wrong.”

“What of that?  You think it’s right.  Therefore, go ahead.  Why quit a line of policy just because it obliges your employes?  Don’t be over-conscientious, son.”

“I’ve suspected for some time that the political news was being adroitly manipulated against the administration.  Has Marrineal tried to ring you in on that?”

“No; and he won’t.”

“Why not?”

“He knows that, in the main, I’m a Laird man.  Laird is giving us what we asked for, an honest administration.”

“Suppose, when Marrineal develops his plans, he comes to you, which would be his natural course, to handle the news end of the anti-Laird campaign.  What would you do?”

“Quit.”

Banneker sighed.  “It’s so easy for you.”

“Not so easy as you think, son.  Even though there’s a lot of stuff being put over in the news columns that makes me sore and sick.  Marrineal’s little theory of using news as a lever is being put into practice pretty widely.  Also we’re selling it.”

“Selling our news columns?”

“Some of ’em.  For advertising.  You’re well out of any responsibility for that department.  I’d resign to-morrow if it weren’t for the fact that Marrineal still wants to cocker up the labor crowd for his political purposes, and so gives me a free hand in my own special line.  By the way, he’s got the Veridian matter all nicely smoothed out.  Oh, my, yes!  Fired the general manager, put in all sorts of reforms, recognized the union, the whole programme!  That’s to spike McClintick’s guns if he tries to trot out Veridian again as proof that Marrineal is, at heart, anti-labor.”