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The lights on the executive floor were finally switched off just after one, and the directors of the Messenger began to strea Townsend looked hopefully at each one of the hilance

Townsend hung around until he was certain that there was no one other than the cleaners left in the building He then walked slowly back to the Gazette and watched the first edition come off the stone He kneouldn’t be able to sleep that night, so he joined the early- vans and helped to deliver the first editions around the city It gave him the chance to er in the racks

Two days later Bunty placed a letter in the priority file:

Dear Mr Townsend,

I have received your letter of the twenty-sixth inst

In order not to waste any er is not for sale, and never will be

Yours faithfully,

Colin Grant

Townsend smiled and dropped the letter in the wastepaper basket

Over the next few ht and day in a relentless drive to overtake his rival He always made it clear to every one of his team that no one’s job was safe—and that included the editor’s Resignations froes at the Gazette were outnuer to join hi to be “a battle to the death”—a phrase Townsend used whenever he addressed the

A year after Townsend had returned fro neck and neck, and he felt the time had coer

When Sir Colin came on the line, Townsend didn’t bother with the norah, Sir Colin, what do you consider the paper’s actually worth?”

“Farman In any case,” he added, “as I’ve already explained, the Messenger’s not for sale”

“Well, not for another six months,?