The key agreement on Dow Jones having editorial protections in the event of a News Corp. purchase appeared close at hand this afternoon, according to the WSJ. That would set the stage for doing the $5 billion deal itself. Still unclear is how the Bancroft family, which has voting control of Dow Jones, will feel about the compromise plan. Also up in the air is whether family members might push for more than Murdoch's $60-a-share offer (with nobody waiting in the wings, I wouldn't count on Murdoch being very receptive). If price does become a sticking point, this thing could drag on a while longer. But don't you get the sense that the Bancrofts are getting worn out from all this attention and just want to go back to being rich and anonymous?