I
It was Hinde who brought the good news to John. Mr. Clotworthy, the
editor of the _Daily Sensation_, had met Hinde in Tudor Street
that afternoon and when he had heard that John and Hinde were living
together, he said, "Tell him I'll take him on the staff if he'll
promise to keep the Truth well under control!" and had named the
following morning for an appointment.
"It's a queer thing," said Hinde as he related the news to John, "that
I'm advising you to take the job when I was telling you the other night
that journalism's no work for a man; but that only shows what a
journalist I am. No stability ... carried off my feet by any
excitement. And mebbe the life'll disgust you and you'll go home
again!..."
"With my tail between my legs?" John demanded. "No, I'll not do that.
I'd be ashamed to go home and admit I hadn't done what I set out to do.
What time does Mr. Clotworthy want me?"
Hinde told him.
"I'll write to my mother at once," said John, "and tell her he's sent
for me. That'll impress her. Shell be greatly taken, with the notion
that he sent for me instead of me running after him!..."
"The great fault in an Ulsterman," said Hinde, "is his silly pride that
won't let him acknowledge his mistake when he's made one. You'll get
into a lot of bother, John MacDermott, if you go about the world
letting on you've done right when you've done wrong, and pretending a
mistake is not a mistake!"
"I'll run the risk of that," John replied.