"Boy-ee, I don't know what's come over you lately. Journalism seems to have got into your blood."
"Blame Ellis. He's been my preceptor."
"Both of you have got your lesson to learn."
"Well, I've learned one," asserted Hal: "that it's the business of a newspaper to print the news."
"There's only one sound business principle, success. When it costs you more to print a thing than not to print it, it's bad business to print it."
"I'm sorry, Dad, but the 'Clarion' is going to carry this to-morrow."
"In case you're nervous about Mr. Pierce," put in McGuire Ellis with Machiavellian innuendo, "I can pass it on to him that you're in no way responsible for the 'Clarion's policy."
"Me, afraid of Elias M. Pierce?" Our Leading Citizen's prickly vanity was up in arms at once. "I'll match him or fight him dollar for dollar, as long as my weasel-skin lasts. No, sir: if Hal's going to fight, I'll stick by him as long as there's a dollar in the till."
"It's mighty good of you, Dad, and I know you'd do it. But I've made up my mind to win out or lose out on the capital you gave me. And I won't take a cent more."
"That's business, too, son. I like that. But I hate to see you lose. By publishing your editorial you're committing your paper absolutely to a policy, and a fatal one. Well, I won't argue any more. But I haven't given up yet."