It had been a fierce struggle to complete a college education.

In the summer-time he had turned his hand to all sorts of things to pay his winter's tuition.

He had worked as clerk in summer hotels, as a surveyor's assistant in laying street-railways, he had played at private secretary, he had hawked vegetables about the streets at dawn.
Happily, he had no false pride.

Chance moves quite as mysteriously as the tides.

On leaving college he had secured a minor position on one of the daily newspapers, and had doggedly worked his way up to the coveted position of star-reporter.