A moment later the door communicating with the room she had quitted opened, and a clerk came in.
He held two or three slips of paper in his hand, and calling out a name, one of the men rose.
"Mr.Hardwick says," spoke up the clerk, "that this matter is in Mr.
Alder's department; would you mind seeing him?
Room number five." So that man was thus got rid of.

The clerk mentioned another name, and again a man rose.
"Mr.Hardwick," the clerk said, "has the matter under consideration.
Call again to-morrow at this hour, then he will give you his decision." That got rid of number two.

The third man was asked to leave his name and address; the editor would write to him.

Number four was told that if he would set down his proposition in writing, and send it in to Mr.
Hardwick, it would have that gentleman's serious consideration.

The fifth man was not so easily disposed of.