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ng clear？ Was I too elusive？' Say on。〃
〃I am speaking in your best interests。〃
〃Who would doubt it； rade Parker。 Nothing has buoyed us up more strongly during the hours of doubt through which we have passed than the knowledge that you wish us well。〃
Billy Windsor suddenly became militant。 There was a feline smoothness about the visitor which had been jarring upon him ever since he first spoke。 Billy was of the plains； the home of blunt speech； where you looked your man in the eye and said it quick。 Mr。 Parker was too bland for human consumption。 He offended Billy's honest soul。
〃See here；〃 cried he； leaning forward； 〃what's it all about？ Let's have it。 If you've anything to say about those articles； say it right out。 Never mind our best interests。 We can look after them。 Let's have what's worrying you。〃
Psmith waved a deprecating hand。
〃Do not let us be abrupt on this happy occasion。 To me it is enough simply to sit and chat with rade Parker； irrespective of the trend of his conversation。 Still； as time is money； and this is our busy day； possibly it might be as well； sir； if you unburdened yourself as soon as convenient。 Have you e to point out some flaw in those articles？ Do they fall short in any way of your standard for such work？〃
Mr。 Parker's smooth face did not change its expression； but he came to the point。
〃I should not go on with them if I were you；〃 he said。
〃Why？〃 demanded Billy。
〃There are reasons why you should not；〃 said Mr。 Parker。
〃And there are reasons why we should。〃
〃Less powerful ones。〃
There proceeded from Billy a noise not describable in words。 It was partly a snort； partly a growl。 It resembled more than anything else the preliminary sniffing snarl a bull…dog emits before he joins battle。 Billy's cow…boy blood was up。 He was rapidly approaching the state of mind in which the men of the plains； finding speech unequal to the expression of their thoughts； reach for their guns。
Psmith intervened。
〃We do not pletely gather your meaning； rade Parker。 I fear we must ask you to hand it to us with still more breezy frankness。 Do you speak from purely friendly motives？ Are you advising us to discontinue the articles merely because you fear that they will damage our literary reputation？ Or are there other reasons why you feel that they should cease？ Do you speak solely as a literary connoisseur？ Is it the style or the subject…matter of which you disapprove？〃
Mr。 Parker leaned forward。
〃The gentleman whom I represent〃
〃Then this is no matter of your own personal taste？ You are an emissary？〃
〃These articles are causing a certain inconvenience to the gentleman whom I represent。 Or； rather； he feels that； if continued； they may do so。〃
〃You mean；〃 broke in Billy explosively； 〃that if we kick up enough fuss to make somebody start a mission to inquire into this rotten business； your friend who owns the private Hades we're trying to get improved； will have to get busy and lose some of his money by making the houses fit to live in？ Is that it？〃
〃It is not so much the money； Mr。 Windsor； though； of course； the expense would be considerable。 My employer is a wealthy man。〃
〃I bet he is；〃 said Billy disgustedly。 〃I've no doubt he makes a mighty good pile out of Pleasant Street。〃
〃It is not so much the money；〃 repeated Mr。 Parker； 〃as the publicity involved。 I speak quite frankly。 There are reasons why my employer would prefer not to e before the public just now as the owner of the Pleasant Street property。 I need not go into those reasons。 It is sufficient to say that they are strong ones。〃
〃Well； he knows what to do； I guess。 The moment he starts in to make those houses decent； the articles stop。 It's up to him。〃
Psmith nodded。
〃rade Windsor is correct。 He has hit the mark and rung the bell。 No conscientious judge would withhold from rade Windsor a cigar or a cocoanut； according as his private preference might dictate。 That is the matter in a nutshell。 Remove the reason for those very scholarly articles； and they cease。〃
Mr。 Parker shook his head。
〃I fear that is not feasible。 The expense of reconstructing the houses makes that impossible。〃
〃Then there's no use in talking；〃 said Billy。 〃The articles will go on。〃
Mr。 Parker coughed。 A tentative cough； suggesting that the situation was now about to enter upon a more delicate phase。 Billy and Psmith waited for him to begin。 From their point of view the discussion was over。 If it was to be reopened on fresh lines； it was for their visitor to effect that reopening。
〃Now； I'm going to be frank； gentlemen；〃 said he； as who should say； 〃We are all friends here。 Let us be hearty。〃 〃I'm going to put my cards on the table； and see if we can't fix something up。 Now； see here： We don't want unpleasantness。 You aren't in this business for your healths； eh？ You've got your living to make； just like everybody else； I guess。 Well； see here。 This is how it stands。 To a certain extant； I don't mind admitting； seeing that we're being frank with one another； you two gentlemen have got usthat's to say； my employerin a cleft stick。 Frankly； those articles are beginning to attract attention； and if they go on there's going to be a lot of inconvenience for my employer。 That's clear； I reckon。 Well； now； here's a square proposition。 How much do you want to stop those articles？ That's straight。 I've been frank with you； and I want you to be frank with me。 What's your figure？ Name it； and； if it's not too high； I guess we needn't quarrel。〃
He looked expectantly at Billy。 Billy's eyes were bulging。 He struggled for speech； He had got as far as 〃Say！〃 when Psmith interrupted him。 Psmith； gazing sadly at Mr。 Parker through his monocle； spoke quietly； with the restrained dignity of some old Roman senator dealing with the enemies of the Republic。
〃rade Parker；〃 he said； 〃I fear that you have allowed constant munication with the conscienceless mercialism of this worldly city to undermine your moral sense。 It is useless to dangle rich bribes before our eyes。 Cosy Moments cannot be muzzled。 You doubtless mean well； according to yourif I may say sosomewhat murky lights； but we are not for sale； except at ten cents weekly。 From the hills of Maine to the Everglades of Florida； from Sandy Hook to San Francisco； from Portland； Oregon； to Melonsquashville； Tennessee； one sentence is in every man's mouth。 And what is that sentence？ I give you three guesses。 You give it up？ It is this： 'Cosy Moments cannot be muzzled！'〃
Mr。 Parker rose。
〃There's nothing more to be done then；〃 he said。
〃Nothing；〃 agreed Psmith； 〃except to make a noise like a hoop and roll away。〃
〃And do it quick；〃 yelled Billy； exploding like a fire…cracker。
Psmith bowed。
〃Speed；〃 he admitted； 〃would be no bad thing。 Franklyif I may borrow the expressionyour square proposition has wounded us。 I am a man of powerful self…restraint； one of those strong； silent men； and I can curb my emotions。 But I fear that rade Windsor's generous temperament may at any moment prompt him to start throwing ink…pots。 And in Wyoming his deadly aim with the ink…pot won him among the admiring cowboys the sobriquet of Crack…Shot Cuthbert。 As man to man； rade Parker； I should advise you to bound swiftly away。〃
〃I'm going；〃 said Mr。 Parker； picking up his hat。 〃And I'll give you a piece of advice； too。 Those articles are going to be stopped； and if you've any sense between you； you'll stop them yourselves before you get hurt。 That's all I've got to say； and that goes。〃
He went out； closing the door behind him with a bang that added emphasis to his words。
〃To men of nicely poised nervous organisation such as ourselves； rade Windsor；〃 said Psmith； smoothing his waistcoat thoughtfully； 〃these scenes are acutely painful。 We wince before them。 Our ganglions quiver like cinematographs。 Gradually recovering mand of ourselves； we review the situation。 Did our visitor's final remarks convey anything definite to you？ Were they the mere casual badinage of a parting guest； or was there something solid behind them？〃
Billy Windsor was looking serious。
〃I guess he meant it all right。 He's evidently working for somebody pretty big； and that sort of man would have a pull with all kinds of Thugs。 We shall have to watch out。 Now that they find we can't be bought； they'll try the other way。 They mean business sure enough。 But； by George； let 'em！ We're up against a big thing； and I'm going to see it through if they put every gang in New York on to us。〃
〃Precisely； rade Windsor。 Cosy Moments； as I have had occasion to observe before； cannot be muzzled。〃
〃That's right；〃 said Billy Windsor。 〃And；〃 he added； with the contented look the Far West editor must have worn as the bullet came through the window； 〃we must have got them scared； or they wouldn't have shown their hand that way。 I guess we're making a hit。 Cosy Moments is going some now。〃
CHAPTER XI
THE MAN AT THE ASTOR
THE duties of Master Pugsy Maloney at the offices of Cosy Moments were not heavy； and he was accustomed to occupy his large store of leisure by reading narratives dealing with life in the prairies； which he acquired at a neighbouring shop at cut rates in consideration of their being shop…soiled。 It was while he was engrossed in one of these； on the morning following the visit of Mr。 Parker； that the seedy…looking man made his appearance。 He walked in from the street； and stood before Master Maloney。
〃Hey； kid；〃 he said。
Pugsy looked up with some hauteur。 He resented being addressed as 〃kid〃 by perfect strangers。
〃Editor in； Tommy？〃 inquired the man。
Pugsy by this time had taken a thorough dislike to him。 To be called 〃kid〃 was bad。 The subtle insult of 〃Tommy〃 was still worse。
〃Nope；〃 he said curtly； fixing his eyes again on his book。 A movement on the part of the visitor attracted his attention。 The seedy man was making for the door of the inner room。 Pugsy instantly ceased to be the student and became the man of action。 He sprang from his seat and wriggled in between the man and the door。
〃Youse can't butt in dere；〃 he said authoritatively。 〃Chase yerseif。〃
The man eyed him with displeasure。
〃Fresh kid！〃 he observed disapprovingly。
〃Fade away；〃 urged Master Maloney。
The visitor's reply was to extend a hand and grasp Pugsy's left ear between a long finger and thumb。 Since time began； small boys in every country have had but one answer for this action。 Pugsy made it。 He emitted a piercing squeal in which pain； fear； and resentment strove for supremacy。
The noise penetrated into the editorial sanctum； losing only a small part of its strength on the way。 Psmith； who was at work on a review of a book of poetry； looked up with patient sadness。
〃If rade Maloney；〃 he said； 〃is going to take to singing as well as whistling； I fear this journal must put up its shutters。 Concentrated thought will be out of the question。〃
A second squeal rent the air。 Billy Windsor jumped up。
〃Somebody must be hurting the kid；〃 he exclaimed。
He hurried to the door and flung it open。 Psmith followed at a more leisurely pace。 The seedy man； caught in the act； released Master Maloney； who stood rubbing his ear with resentment written on every feature。
On such occasions as this Billy was a man of few words。 He made a dive for the seedy man； but the latter； who during the preceding moment had been eyeing the two editors as if he were mitting their appearance to memory； sprang back； and was off down the stairs with the agility of a Marathon runner。
〃He blows in；〃 said Master Maloney； aggrieved； 〃and asks is de editor dere。 I tells him no； 'cos youse said youse wasn't； and he nips me by the ear when I gets busy to stop him gettin' t'roo。〃
〃rade Maloney；〃 said Psmith； 〃you are a martyr。 What would Horatius have done if somebody had nipped him by the ear when he was holding the bridge？ The story does not consider the possibility。 Yet it might have made all the difference。 Did the gentleman state his business？〃
〃Nope。 Just tried to butt t'roo。〃
〃Another of these strong silent men。 The world is full of us。 These are the perils of the journalistic life。 You will be safer and happier when you are rounding up cows on your mustang。〃
〃I wonder what he wanted；〃 said Billy； when they