lines, like the Relief Pills, that go out under another trade name, use
space in the Worthington papers. The 'Clarion' isn't getting that copy,
so they're sore."

"Can't you sue them for libel, Dad?"

"Hardly worth while. Decent people don't read the 'Clarion' anyway, so
it can't hurt much. It's best just to ignore such things."

"Something ought to be done about it," declared Hal angrily.

Stuffing the paper into his pocket he took his wrath out into the open
air. Hard and fast he walked, but the farther he went the hotter burned
his ire.

There was in Harrington Surtaine a streak of the romantic. His inner
world was partly made up of such chimerical notions as are bred in a
lively mind, not in very close touch with the world of actualities, by a
long course of novel-reading and theater-going. Deep within him stirred
a conviction that there was a proper and suitable, nay, an almost
obligatory, method made and provided for just such crises as this:
something that a keen-spirited and high-bred youth ought to do about it.
Suddenly it came to him. Young Surtaine returned home with his resolve
taken. In the morning he would fare forth, a modern knight redressing
human wrongs, and lick the editor of the "Clarion."

Overnight young Mr. Surtaine revised his project. Horsewhipping would be
no more than the offending editor deserved. However, he should have his
chance. Let him repent and retract publicly, and the castigation should
be remitted. Forthwith the avenger sat him down to a task of