About one o'clock
Sharlee went upstairs , and stood for a long time gazing at herself in the mirror . Vainly she tried to glean from it the answer to a most interesting conundrum : Did Mr. Queed still think her very beautiful ? _ Recording a Discussion about the Reformatory between Editor West and his Dog-like Admirer , the City Boss ; and a Briefer Conversation between West and Prof. Nicolovius 's Boarder . _ About one o'clock the telephone rang sharply , and Queed , just arrived for the afternoon work and alone in the office , answered it . It was the Rev. Mr. Dayne , Secretary of the Department of Charities ; he had learned that the reformatory bill was to be called up in the house next day . The double-faced politicians of the machine , said Mr. Dayne , with their pretended zeal for economy , were desperately afraid of the Post . Would Mr. Queed be kind enough to hit a final ringing blow for the right in to-morrow 's paper ?