"You'll have all day to distribute a morning paper，"Arthurpointed out，"whereas an evening paper couldn't get to your scattered subscribers until the next morning."Miss Briggs，upon whom they were to rely so greatly，proved to be a woman of tremendous energy and undoubted ability.She was thirty—？ve years of age and had been engaged in newspaper work ever since she was eighteen.Bright and cheerful，of even temper and shrewd comprehension，Miss Briggs listened to the eager explanations of the three girls who had undertaken this queer venture，and assured them she would assist in making a newspaper that would be a credit to them all.She understood clearly the conditions；that inexperience was backed by amplea capital and unpractical ideas by unlimited enthusiasm.
"This job may not last long，"she told herself，"but whileit does it will be mighty amusing.I shall enjoy these weeks in a quiet country town after the bustle of the big city."So here were seven regular employees of the Millville Daily Tribune already secured and the eighth was shortly to appear.Preparations were well under way for a ？rst edition on the Fourth of July and the office was beginning to hum with work，when one afternoon a girl strolled in and asked in a tired voice for the managing editor.
She was admitted to Patsy's private room，where Beth andLouise were also sitting，and they looked upon their visitor in undisguiseda astonishment.
She was young：perhaps not over twenty years of age.
Her face bore marks of considerable dissipationb and there was a broad scar underneath her right eye.Her hair was thin，straggling and tow—coloredc；her eyes large，deep—set and of a faded blue.The girl's dress was as queer and untidy as her personal appearance，for she wore a brown tailored coat，a short skirt and long，buttonedd leggingse.A round cap of the same material as her dress was set jauntilyfon the back of her head，and over her shoulder was slungg a ？at satchelh of worn leather.There was little that was feminine and less that was attractive about the young woman，and Patsy eyed her with distinct disfavor.
"Tommy sent me here，"said the newcomer，sinking wearily into a chair."I'm hired for a month，on good behavior，with a chance to stay on if I conduct myself in a ladylike manner.I've been working on the Herald，you know；but there was no end of a a row last week，and they ？red me bodily.Any booze for sale in this town？""It is a temperancebcommunity，"answered Patsy，stif？y."Hooray for me.There's a chance I'll keep sober.In thatcase you've acquired the best sketch artist in America.""Oh！Are you the artist，then？"asked Patsy，with doubtfulintonation.
"I don't like the word.I'm not a real artist—just a cartoonist and newspaper hack.Say，it's funny to see me in this jungle，isn't it？What joy I'll have in astonishing the natives！I s'pose a picture's a picture，to them，and Art an impenetrablec mystery.What sort of stuff do you want me to turn out？""I—I'm not sure you'll do，"said Miss Doyle，desperately."I—we—that is—we are three quite respectable young women who have under—taken to edit the Millville Daily Tribune，and the people we have secured to assist us are all—all quite desirable，in their way.So—；ahem！—so—""That's all right，"remarked the artist composedly."I don't know that I blame you.I can see very well the atmosphere is not my atmosphere.When is the next train back to New York？""At four o'clock，I believe.""I'll engage a nice upholstered seata in the smoking car.But I've several hours to loaf，and loa？ng is my best stuntb.Isn't this a queer start for girls like you？"looking around the "den"critically."I wonder how you got the bug，and what'll come of it.It's so funny to see a newspaper office where everything is brand new，and—eminentlyc respectable.Do you mind my lighting a cigarette ？This sort of a deal is quite interesting to an old—timer like me；but perhaps I owe you an apology for intruding.I had a letter from Tommy and one from a big banker—Marvin，I guess his name is."She drew two letters from her satchel and tossed them on the desk before Patsy.
"They're no good to me now，"she added."Where's yourwaste basket？"The managing editor，feeling embarrassed by the presence of the artist，opened the letters.The first was from Mr.Marvin，Uncle John's banker，saying：
"After much negotiation I have secured for you the best newspaper illustratord in New York，and a girl，too，which is an added satisfaction.For months I have admired the cartoons signed 'Het'in the New York papers，for they were essentially clever and droll.Miss Hewitt is highly recommended but likemost successful artists is not always to be relied upon.I'm told if you can manage to win her con？dence she will be very loyal to you."The other letter was from the editor of a great New York journal."In giving you Hetty，"he said，"I am parting witha one of our strongest attractions，but in this big city the poor girl is rapidly drifting to perditionb and I want to save her，if possible，before it is too late.She has a sweet，lovable nature，a generous heart and a keen intellect，but these have been so degraded by drink and dissipation that you may not readily discover them.My idea is that in a country town，away from all disreputable companionship，the child may？nd herself，and come to her own again.Be patient with her and help her all you can.Her wonderful talent will well repay you，even if you are not interested in saving one of God's creatures."Silently Patsy passed the letters to Beth and Louise.After reading them there was a new expression on the faces they turned toward Hetty Hewitt.
