Surely he must have , for there was no other until seven o'clock . She must have missed him somehow . Patty waited until everybody had left the station , then she walked slowly homeward . As the Chronicle office was on her way , she dropped in to see if Clifford had reported there . She found nobody in the editorial offices except the office boy , Larry Brown , who promptly informed her that not only had Clifford not arrived , but that there was a telegram from him saying that he had missed his train . Patty gasped in dismay . It was dreadful ! `` Where is Mr. Harmer ? '' she asked . `` He went home as soon as the afternoon edition came out . He left before the telegram came . He 'll be furious when he finds out that nobody has gone to interview that foxy old politician , '' said Larry , who knew all about Clifford 's assignment and its importance . `` Is n't there anyone else here to go ? '' queried Patty desperately . Larry shook his head . `` No , there is n't a soul in . We 're mighty short-handed just now on account of the explosion and the strike . '' Patty went downstairs and stood for a moment in the hall , rapt in reflection . If she had been at home , she verily believed she would have sat down and cried . Oh , it was too bad , too disappointing !
Clifford would certainly lose all chance of the permanency , even if the irate news editor did not discharge him XXXXX once .
As at before except for from in on that to