"But how can I?" gasped Paul, bewildered.
Mr. Carter shrugged his shoulders.
"That"s up to you," he said. "Sometimes fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Your father, for instance, will certainly want this venture of yours to succeed. Tell him that if he takes the _Echo_ instead of the _Mirror_, or in addition to it, it will be a big help to you."
"But my father--" burst out Paul, then stopped suddenly.
"I know he doesn"t like me," put in Mr. Carter calmly. "We differ in politics and we"ve had one bad set-to on the subject. He won"t take my paper--wouldn"t do it for love or money. I know perfectly well how he feels."
"So that"s why you want to make him do it?"
"Never you mind, sonny. I want you to get him to. That"s enough," was the curt retort.
Paul flushed.
"And with regard to the advertising I mentioned," continued Mr. Carter, "I am sure you can easily carry that through. The Kimball and Dalrymple boys are in your cla.s.s, aren"t they?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tell them the _Echo_ wants an ad. from the firm of George L. Kimball and from Dalrymple and Company."
"Oh!"
"As for Judge Damon--well, if you can"t manage the judge, I can"t tell you how to do it. All is, I want six articles on The League of Nations.
He"s an authority on international law and the best man I know to handle the subject. He hasn"t, however, much more use for me than your father has, and thus far has politely refused every offer I"ve made him."
"Carl Damon is on our _March Hare_ literary staff," ventured Paul.
"There you are!" declared Mr. Carter triumphantly. "Set him at his father"s heels and tell him to bring me the six articles I"m after. Then you boys flax round and get me ten new firms to advertise in the _Echo_ and I"ll sign a contract with you to print your _March Hare_ in good shape."
The lips of the elder man curled humorously.
Paul rose.
"It"s mighty good of you, sir," he murmured.
"Don"t thank me, youngster, until you"ve landed your bargain," protested Mr. Carter with shame-faced haste. "Remember I said that when you had fulfilled my conditions _then_ I would print your _March Hare_; I shan"t do it until then."
"But I am sure we can fulfill them."
"You seem very certain of it."
"I feel so."
"Humph! Have you ever tried to get an ad?"
"No, sir."
"Or asked your father why he didn"t take the _Echo_?"
"No."
"Or tried to worm an article out of Judge Damon?"
Paul shook his head.
"Then you"ve some fun ahead of you," remarked Mr. Carter, rising. "I"d wait to do my crowing if I were you."
With a grim laugh and a gesture of farewell he swept the boy from the room.
CHAPTER III
MR. CAMERON TAKES A HAND IN THE GAME
As Paul walked down the steps of the Carter mansion he felt, as did David Copperfield in the presence of the waiter, very young indeed. Had Mr. Carter simply been making game of him? And was the business world actually such a network of schemes and complexities?
And how did it happen that the printing of a newspaper was such a difficult and expensive undertaking? Why should it be?
Paper and ink were common enough commodities surely. All that had to be done was to print, and if a press were at hand it must be the easiest thing in the world to do that. Why did people make such a fuss over printing a paper?
Thoughtfully he walked home and turned in at his own door.
He was in a very sober frame of mind, unwontedly sober for him; so sober, in fact, that his father, whom he encountered in the hall, exclaimed:
"Goodness me, son, you look as if your last friend on earth had perished. What"s the matter?"
The boy smiled faintly.
"Nothing, sir."
"But you"d never look like that if there weren"t. Come, tell me all about it. What"s the trouble?"
The gray eyes of the man regarded the lad kindly.
"I"m--I"m just thinking."
"About what, pray? Something pretty solemn, I"ll be bound," persisted his father.
"Oh, I"ve a lot of things on my mind," answered Paul hesitatingly.
"Suppose you give me a sample of one of them."
"Just business," replied Paul.
As the words fell with familiar cadence, Mr. Cameron laughed. How often he had met his wife"s troubled inquiries with the same retort.