Dan had certain prescribed duties, but these were not onerous.

A great many of the country newspapers began to come to the office, and it was Harwood's business to read them and cut out any items bearing upon local political conditions.

Bassett winnowed these carefully, brushing the chaff into his wastebasket and retaining a few kernels for later use.

He seemed thoroughly familiar with the state press and spoke of the rural newspapers with a respect that surprised Harwood, who had little patience with what he called the "grapevine dailies," with their scrappy local news, patent insides, and servile partisan opinions.

Still, he began to find in a considerable number of these papers, even those emanating from remote county seats, a certain raciness and independence.
This newspaper reading, which Dan had begun perfunctorily, soon interested him.