Guire Ellis, who was finally
convalescent and was to be discharged on the following week. At the door
of Ellis's room he met Dr. Elliot. Somewhat embarrassed, he stepped
aside. The physician stopped.

"Er--Surtaine," he said hesitantly.

"Well?"

"I've had time to think things over. And I've had some talks with Mac.
I--I guess I was wrong."

"You were right enough from your point of view."

"Think so?" said the other, surprised.

"Yes. And I know I was right, from mine."

"Humph!" There was an uncomfortable pause. Then: "I called names. I
apologize."

"That's all right, then," returned Hal heartily.

"Woof!" exhaled the physician. "That's off my chest. Now, I've got an
item for you."

"For the 'Clarion'?"

"Yep. The President's coming."

"Coming? To Old Home Week?"

"To Old Home Week."

"An item! Great Caesar! A spread! A splurge!! A blurb!!! Where did you
get it?"

"From Washington. Just been there."

"Tell me all of it."

"Know Redding? He and I saw some tough service together in the old
M.H.S. That's the United States Public Health Service now. Redding's the
head of it; Surgeon-General. First-class man, every way. So I went to
see him and told him we had to have the President, and why. He saw it in
a minute. Knew all about the 'Clarion's' fight, too. He went to the
White House and explained the whole business. The President said that a
clean bill of health from the Service was good enough for him, and he'd
come, sure. Here's his letter to the Surgeon-General. It goes out for
publication to-morrow. There's a line in it speaking of the 'Clarion's'
good work."

"Great Caesar!" said Hal again, rather weakly.

"Does that square accounts between us?"

"More! A hundred times more! That's the biggest indorsement any paper in
this town ever had. Old Home Week's safe. Did you tell Mac?"

"Yes. He's up there cursing now because they won't let him go to the
office to plan out the article."

To the "Clarion," the presidential encomium was a tremendous boom
professionally. Financially, however, it was of no immediate avail. It
did not bring local advertising, and advertising was what the paper
sorely needed. Still, it did call attention to the paper from outside. A
few good contracts for "foreign" advertising, a department which had
fallen off to almost nothing when Hal discarded all medical "copy," came
in. With these, and a reasonable increase in local support which could
be counted upon, now that