There were two morning newspapers published in the town; or, as some people put it, "one and a quarter." The _Tribune_ appealed to the more orderly element in the community. In the _Tribune_ was an account of the police version of the night before, to the effect that Bunny Hepburn and a gang had set upon Lieutenants Overton and Terry, of the Regular Army, and that the two young officers had given an excellent account of themselves in the encounter, afterwards declining to prosecute the gangsters. The _Sphere_, the other morning sheet, made its appeal to the rougher element of the city. It was through this sheet that Orator Hepburn had been able to acquire much of his local notoriety. Hepburn and Sayles, the latter the proprietor of the _Sphere_, had been cronies for five years. To Sayles the older Hepburn had gone, taking along with him his "witnesses." As was to be expected, the _Sphere_ attacked the two young officers, giving wholly the Hepburn version of the affair. "But this will not be the last of the matter," the _Sphere_ proclaimed dramatically. "There are reliefs to be had from such outrages. Mr. Hepburn has already taken the matter up with a strong hand. Through the night two of our ablest local attorneys toiled at preparing the papers in the case. A formal complaint has been drawn up, backed by the testimony of the witnesses under oath, and all the papers in the case are now on their way to Washington. The residents of this city will soon be in a position to know whether such outrages may be safely committed by officers of our Regular Army, a body of men organized supposedly for the protection of the citizens of the country!" "Well, wouldn't that blow your hat off?" demanded Lieutenant Noll, as he and his chum went over the account published by the _Sphere_. "It's evidently aimed with a view to blowing our heads off," muttered Hal Overton. "What talented liars there are in this world!" uttered Noll Terry, in high disgust. "They wouldn't do so much harm, though, if it weren't for the fact that sometimes liars, under oath, manage to get themselves believed," returned Hal. "Is anybody going to believe this rot?" insisted Noll. "Some one in the War Department might, not knowing the local reputation of the Hepburns." "Well, the War Department will know, if it takes any action on these trumped-up, lying charges," declared Lieutenant Noll hotly. "Of course we won't lie down and tamely submit to such false charges," agreed Lieutenant Overton. "Going out for a walk this morning?" Noll wanted to know. "I feel much more inclined to sit here and think this whole thing over," Hal answered, pointing to the lying sheet. "Hal, if we stay indoors to-day the _Sphere_ will have it to-morrow that we are overwhelmed with shame and fear, and have kept in hiding." "And, if we go out around the town," laughed Hal, "the _Sphere_ will proclaim to-morrow that we are brazenly showing ourselves and trying to cheek down the charges against us."