ou two _gentlemen_ think you have cleared yourselves,"
sneered the orator. "You feel that you have squared the court and have
killed my son's case. But we shall see!"

Hal, for answer, looked straight into Hepburn's eyes with a cold stare
of contempt. Noll did not even trouble himself to glance at the fellow.

Four days later the Army boys received long official envelopes from the
War Department. The findings of the court of inquiry had vindicated and
exonerated both young officers, who would continue to enjoy the full
confidence of the President and of the War Department. Further,
Lieutenants Overton and Terry were authorized to publish this letter in
any way that they chose.

The next morning the _Tribune_ published the letters and congratulated
the Army boys.

On the other hand, the _Sphere_ printed a long screed against the
government, and against the War Department in particular, and hinted
that all Army officers, young and old, stood together in cases like the
present one.

Before the day was over, however, Proprietor and Editor Sayles was
having his own troubles. He had been summoned to Lawyer Kimball's
office, where he discovered that he was about to be defendant in two
suits for libel.

"But you can attack public officers in the press," retorted Sayles.

"Only as to their performance of their public duties," rejoined
Counsellor Kimball. "You have grossly libeled my two clients in their
private life. As they are Army officers, and therefore men of the
highest standing as to honor, they can obtain a verdict for large
damages."

Sayles tried to bluster, whereupon the lawyer advised him to seek an
attorney of his own for consultation. Within a week Sayles knew more
about the libel law, and gladly settled out of court to avoid the danger
of having to pay much more after standing suit. The amount that he paid
was five thousand dollars, and to do this the editor had to put a
mortgage on his newspaper plant.

"Five thousand dollars is a nice little pile," remarked Noll, when the
Army boys had been summoned to their attorney's office.

"As you have informed me that you regard Sayles's money as soiled, and
that you will not use it for yourselves," continued the Counsellor, "I
shall stick to my original agreement, which was not to charge you
anything for my services unless the case had to go to court. Have you
thought how you will apply this money?"

"Yes," came promptly from Noll. "In this town there are ei