Wherefore, my young friend," concluded Mr.Bayard, clapping a slim hand on Richard's shoulder, "to work! That report is the key.

Every day we have it in our hands before it is read in the Senate means a million dollars." Mr.Bayard forced upon Richard the mighty propriety of getting hold of Senator Hanway's report; and Richard--to whom the report meant Dorothy the peerless, not paltry millions--was carried to the impolite length of bringing up the topic of Northern Consolidated at Mr.Gwynn's dinner.
Richard asked Senator Hanway the plump question of the committee's labors, and what time its report would appear.
"The sessions," said Senator Hanway, who, being about his departure, was getting into his Inverness at the time, "are still in progress.

It will be several weeks before the close of the hearings.

Then there must be time for deliberation; and finally a day or more for writing the report.
You may be sure, however," concluded Senator Hanway, "that the _Daily Tory_ shall have it before the other papers.

It shall be an exclusive story; I promise you that." And the next day comes the veracious Mr.Sands asking whether a verbatim copy of that report would be of service to him! No marvel Richard stared.
"Because," observed Mr.Sands, puffing an extremely repulsive cigar, "I've got it here." "Do you mean the report of Senator Hanway's committee that is investigating Northern Consolidated ?" cried Richard.
Mr.Sands tilted his derby over a confident left eye, blew a devastating cloud, and said he did.
"It was only last night," observed Richard, still bitten of doubt, "that Senator Hanway told me the committee had not ended its hearings." Mr.Sands of the malignant cigar was not discouraged.