The Boy Grew Older

eks. Longer if you like-Miles, managing editor." That was an extraordinary thing because the material for Peter's column-"Looking Them Over with Peter Neale"-was only up one week ahead

ers in that fashion. In daydreams Peter had often pictured himself dying from flood, or earthquake or a stray bullet in some great ri

retly engaged to a girl in Alameda and then a week or so before they were to be married she had eloped with a man who said he was a Polish Count. According to Rusk by some strange coincidence O'Brale received the assignment to cover t

him which was the Bulletin would go on. A picture suddenly came to Peter. That was the way

away for two weeks and it was only natural that there should be a new man in charge. Peter wasn't a veteran, but he had seen five managing editors in his time and probably a couple of hundred copy readers. "Looking Them Over" was d

the rhythm of the buildings as they swung in the long arc and turned over was still in the pulse of Peter. All right, but he had seen Gan

the ninth floor to the office of the Bulletin, but Sykes, the head office boy,

d if Miles would be as smart. There was a man at the desk, a fat placid man, in the office of the managing editor. Peter knocked at the door and went in before the man looked up. "My name's

onscious of his bloody bandages. He sat waiting to hear, "Have an accident?" or something like that, but Miles seemed to take it as a matter of course that Peter was all cut up. Apparently the managing editor accepted it as something inevitable in an out-of-town assignment. Peter dreaded the question so long that he would have felt easier if Miles had aske

ll right,"

ou need a match," he added.

for a minute. Miles continued to

on, he closed the door. Miles hadn't talked about his private life, but Peter felt that he must

reporters covered the lives of each other. When Woolstone, the Sunday editor, started living with that little girl, Miss Gray, the one who wrote the piece about the Haymarket, it was common gossip within a week. Woolst

er right-hand corner Neale-Sports-Syndicate. Then he turned half of the sheet through

t outboxed but he was outfought." That wouldn't do. There had been a line almost like that in his fight story. Of course he might do some sort of prediction story about how long Battling Nelson would hold the title. A man who took all that punishment couldn't last so very long. But suddenly Peter realized that he didn't give a damn about Gans or about Nelson. The Bulleti

on life. Suddenly Peter realized the trick. The picture ought not to be Matty throwing his fast one. The fadeway! That was the thing which marked Matty in his mind above all others. He closed his eyes in order to help. The figure bent back. The arms came up over the head. The left leg kicked. No, it was not Maria kicking. This was a huge clumsy leg which moved slowly, ever so slowly, grinding power for the swing of back and shoulders which was to come. Then there was the lunge forward. Ma

ng to leave the building. The elevator man had told him of the woman who kept coming in every half an hour or so and asking for Mr. Hall. According to the elevator man she was very much excited. Charlie said it sounded a lot like Ethel. He wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to shoot him. She had often threatened to do that. Twice during those two days Peter had volunteered to go down and sco

hout passing Charlie. Peter did it slowly. Charli

t. Anyhow I wanted

reat story

d you li

er-he was the smartest

it too. Nelson wouldn't have had

Hall thrust out a hand and slapped him on the shoulder.

ou take me. I suppose you'd say I was happily married. I've been married fifteen years and I've got five children. Well, sometimes when I sit down at hom

u're right,

ke women seriously. They'll b

got stuck up in the Press Club and the girl was waiting dow

, sure,

n't the name.

indeed. She was a wild one. She was just about the most dangerous woman south of Fift

suppose you'll be tell

the truth. Anyhow where do

ched away. At last Peter had a chanc

ries to butt in. I bawled him out and we went up on the sidewalk. I made a couple of passes at h

married. I'm glad it's not so. I knew you had too much sense for that. There isn't a one of them in the whole world that's worth getting busted up over. Do

u tell that to the rest. I'

ldn't seem like the

nd put one second of energy into pounding the

his Eldorad

reet and Sev

tay open a

one there's a man on the door and he

strict a

ime you want to go up late you let me know. I'll be glad to show you round