Plank's name headed column after column.

Already becoming familiar in the society and financial sections, it began to appear in neighbouring paragraphs.

Who was Plank?
And the papers told people with more or less inaccuracy, humour, or sarcasm.

What was he trying to do?
The papers tried to tell that, too, making a pretty close guess, with comments good-natured or ill-natured according to circumstances over which somebody ought to have some control.

What was Harrington trying to do to Plank--if he was trying to do anything?
They told that pretty clearly.
What was Quarrier going to do to Plank?
That, also, they explained in lively detail.