Page:Lynch Williams--The stolen story and other newspaper stories.djvu/175

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The Great Secretary-of-State Interview

reads, 'What I should like to know, sir, is, Will Holliday have the support of the administration if he is nominated? Will he?' Answer: 'He would have the heartiest support the administration could give——'"

"What!" cried Van Cise. Then from Reed, "Ah, say that over again, Hopper."

Hopper repeated it and then continued, "Well, then, the boy jumps up, and shouts, 'There, there, there! What did I tell you! Now, will you stop jumping on me, Hopper! 'How about it, eh? Well, you ought to've seen that sick-looking crowd. They hadn't anything to say. They only looked at the kid and then at each other, while Carrington and I put on our hats to go, grinning back at them. The Secretary of State was guying them, too, on the folly of being too certain. What?"

"Say," interrupted Reed, "didn't either of you get the Convention on the long-distance telephone?" The managing editor's instincts were coming back.

"No, but——"

"Well, why——"

"Wait a minute. Then the Secretary

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