"You're not angry with me?" he asked. "I haven't been rude, have I?"
"Abominably rude," she answered, "you've defied my warnings, and treated
my embassy with contempt." She turned to him and their eyes met. "I
should have despised you, if you hadn't," she added.
There was a note of exultation in her voice; and, as if in answer,
something leapt into his eyes that seemed to claim her. Perhaps it was
well that just then the bell rang for a division; and the moment passed.
He rose and held out his hand. "We will fight him," he said. "And you
can tell him this, if he asks, that I'm going straight for him.
Parliament may as well close down if a few men between them are to be
allowed to own the entire Press of the country, and stifle every voice
that does not shout their bidding. We haven't dethroned kings to put up
a newspaper Boss. He shall have all the fighting he wants."
They met more often from that day, for Joan was frankly using her two
columns in the _Sunday Post_ to propagate his aims. Carleton, to her
surprise, made no objection.
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