Why, what better were you?
You were bribing a poor man to furnish you with statistics, which he was very reluctant to let you have; yet you overcame his scruples with money, quite willing that he should risk his livelihood, so long as you got the news.

If you ask me, I don't see very much difference in our positions, and I must say that if two men take the risk of talking aloud about a secret, with a door open leading to another room, which may be empty or may be not, then they are two very foolish persons." "Oh, quite so, quite so," answered Hardwick soothingly.

"I have already disclaimed the critical attitude.

The point I wish to be sure of is this--you overheard the conversation between Alder and myself ?" "Yes, I did." "Would you be able to repeat it ?" "I don't know that I could repeat it word for word, but I could certainly give the gist of it." "Would you have any objection to telling a gentleman whom I shall call in a moment, as nearly as possible what Alder said and what I said?
I may add that the gentleman I speak of is Mr.Hempstead, and he is practically the proprietor of this paper.

There has arisen between Mr.
Alder and myself a slight divergence of memory, if I may call it so, and it seems that you are the only person who can settle the dispute." "I am perfectly willing to tell what I heard to anybody." "Thank you." Mr.Hardwick pressed an electric button, and his secretary came in from another room.
"Would you ask Mr.Hempstead to step this way, if he is in his room ?" In a few minutes Mr.Hempstead entered, bowed somewhat stiffly towards the lady, but froze up instantly when he heard that she was the person who had given the Board of Public Construction scandal to the _Evening Graphite_.
"I have just this moment learned, Mr.Hempstead, that Miss Baxter was in the adjoining room when Alder and I were talking over this matter.