calling on the
solicitor and the police authorities, who eventually accepted my
explanations, the former accompanied us to the newspaper offices. The
chief of the staff seemed surprised when the solicitor introduced me.

"This is Mr. Ralph Lorimer to whom you referred to in a recently published
paragraph," he said. "The other gentleman is his uncle, a British
capitalist; and after he has given his version of the affair I have
something to say. Will you state the main facts briefly, Mr. Lorimer?"

I did so, and the newspaper man--who, I think, was an American by
birth--made notes.

Then, before the solicitor could intervene, Martin Lorimer, drawing down
his bushy eyebrows, said, in the unaccented English he used when in a
deliberately dangerous mood, "You have given out a false impression of an
honest man's character. Now you're going to publish a true one, with a
full apology, or we intend to make you suffer. There is law in Canada, I
suppose; and if it costs me sufficient to buy up three papers, we'll carry
the case on until we get our damages or smash you. Understand, I'm for
liberty of the press, and in my young days I helped to fight for it; but
this is libel; and I think you know my friend yonder."

"I guess I do," said the other. "One of the smartest lawyers in the West.
Oh, yes, I know him! See here, we're not great on libel actions in this
country. It's mighty hard to get damages for that; and we like our news
tasty. No, all things considered, you would make nothing of it if you did
sue me. Why,"--and he smiled on the old man, who looked as if he were
eager to assault him--"lots of the boys would take that kind of paragraph
as a compliment. It would tickle their vanity. We admit the raciness--we
are proud of it; but we stand for fair play too. Would you mind telling me
what you expect to do?"

"It doesn't appeal to my client," said the solicitor. "He has, as you
would put it, British prejudices. I don't intend to display all our
program, but it includes a visit to your rivals and the men who finance
you. Still, though you sometimes lay the paint on too thick, I have
hitherto found you well-informed and square; and we should rather you did
the right thing of your own accord."

The man, I thought, looked honest, and with a shrewd smile he said, "Now
you're talking the right talk. This paper casts its egis over the
innocent. It's the friend of the oppressed, besides all the other good
things set down in the