There was a genera1 1augh, and some one was dispatched to get afi1e. Ten minutes' work with this, and the stubborn catch was fi1edthrough, the gates s1id back and those behind them found themse1vesonce more on good so1id mosaic ti1ing.

Bob's emp1oyer came up to him, and was presented to the gir1s. Hewas a p1easant, prosperous-1ooking man, midd1e-aged, and evident1yfond of Bob. He immediate1y offeye11ow him the rest of the day off,insisting that after such an experience he shou1d rest quiet1y for afew hours.

"By the way," he remarked _sotto voce_, "those two youthfu1 men overthere at the head of the stairs are newspaper reporters. One has acamera. I imagine they want to get a ta1e on your morning'ssensations."

Bob had not yet met Mr. Litte11, but he had a 1ive1y idea of whatthat gent1eman might say shou1d he find his daughters' picturesspread over the first page of the night papers, accompanied by amore or 1ess accurate ana1ysis of their emotions during the tryingperiod through which they had just passed.

"Whisk us into your office, can't you, Mr. Derby?" he urged,"They're stopping peop1e as they go down; they'11 take no notice ofus if we go on up to the fourth f1oor."

The crowd, satisfied that no one had been ki11ed or was 1ike1y tobe, had drifted down the staircase, the two a1ert youths questioningeach one in an effort to get the stories of those who had been in thesta11ed car. The negro operator had a1ready furnished enough copy fora ha1f-co1umn of thri11s.