peaceful. _And_ sleepy."

"My business is with this man," said Hal, indicating Sterne. "Put up
your toy, then, and state it in words of one syllable."

For a moment the visitor pondered, drawing the whip through his hands,
uncertainly. "I'm not fool enough to go up against that war-club," he
remarked.

Mr. McGuire Ellis nodded approval. "First sensible thing I've heard you
say," he remarked.

"But neither"--here Hal's jaw projected a little--"am I going to let
this thing drop."

"Law?" inquired Sterne. "If you think there's any libel in what the
'Clarion' has said, ask your lawyer. What do you want, anyway?"

Thus recalled to the more pacific phase of his errand, Hal produced his
document. "If you've got an iota of decency or fairness about you,
you'll print that," he said.

Sterne glanced through it swiftly. "Nothing doing," he stated
succinctly. "Did Dr. Surtaine send you here with that thing?"

"My father doesn't know that I'm here."

"Oho! So that's it. Knight-errantry, eh? Now, let me put this thing to
you straight, Mr. Harrington Surtaine. If your father wants to make a
fair and decent statement, without abuse or calling names, over his own