The quack saw no occasion to explain this to his inquisitor. So he merely said: "I never saw any such letter," which was, in a literal sense, true. "Nor will you know anything about it, I suppose, until the name of the church is spread broadcast through your newspaper advertising." Now, it is a rule of the patent medicine trade never to advertise an unwilling testimonial because that kind always has a kick-back. Hence:-- "Oh, if you feel that way about it," said Dr. Surtaine disdainfully, "I'll keep it out of print." "And return it to me," continued the other, in a tone of calm sequentiality, which might represent either appeal, suggestion, or demand. "Don't see the point," said the quack shortly. "Since you do not intend to use it in your business, it can't be of any value to you," countered the other. "What's its value to you?" "In plain words, the honor of my church is involved. The check is a bribe. The letter is the graft." "Nothing of the sort. You come here, a minister of the gospel," Dr. Surtaine reproached him sorrowfully, "and use hard words about a transaction that is perfectly straight business and happens every day." "Not in my church." "It isn't your letter, anyhow. You didn't write it." "It is written on the official paper of the church. Smithson told me so. He didn't understand what use would be made of it when he wrote it. Take your check back, Dr. Surtaine, and give me the letter." "Persistency, thy name is a jewel," said Dr. Surtaine with an air of scholarliness. "You win. The letter will be returned to-morrow. You'll take my word, I suppose?" "Certainly; and thank you." "And now, suppose I offered to leave the check in your hands?" asked the Doctor curiously. "I couldn't take it," came the decisive reply. "Do you mind telling me why?" The visitor spread out upon the table the newspaper page which he had taken from his pocket. "This morning's 'Clarion,'" he said. "So that's the trouble! You've been reading that blackmailing sheet. Why, what's the 'Clarion,' anyway? A scandal-mongering, yellow blatherskite, on its last legs financially. It's for sale to any bidder who'd be fool enough to put up money. The 'Clarion' went after me because it couldn't get our business. It ain't any straighter than a corkscrew's shadow." "Do I understand you to say that this attack is due to your refusal to advertise in the 'Clarion'?" "That's it, to a T. And now, you see, Mr. Hale," continued Dr. Surtaine in a tone of long-suffering and dignified injury, "how believing all you see in print lures you into chasing after strange dogs." The visitor's mouth quivered a little at this remarkable paraphrase of the Scripture passage; but he said gravely enough: "Then we get back to the original charges, which the 'Clarion' quotes from the 'Church Standard.'"