The proprietor himself has been here, an' he's here now, an' Mr.Alder came out a minute ago with his face as white as a sheet of paper.

They do be sayin'," added the porter, still further lowering his voice, and pausing on the stairway, "that Mr.Hardwick is not goin' to be the editor any more, but that Mr.Alder is to take his place.

Anyway, as far as I can tell, Mr.Hardwick an' Mr.Alder have had a fine fall out, an' one or other of them is likely to leave the paper." "Oh, dear, oh, dear!" said Miss Jennie, also pausing on the stairs.

"Is it so serious as all that ?" "Indeed it is, mum, an' we none of us know where we're standin', at all, at all." The porter led the way to Mr.Hardwick's room, and announced the visitor.
"Ask her to come in," she heard the editor say, and the next instant the porter left them alone together.
"Won't you sit down, Miss Baxter ?" said Mr.Hardwick, with no trace of that anger in his voice which she had expected.

"I have been waiting for you.