"
He pressed an electric button on his desk, and a clerk entered.
"Get me a copy of yesterday's paper."
In a moment it was brought; the editor opened it, marked an article
with a dash of his blue pencil, and handed it to Sam.
"There," said he, "put that in your pocket and read it. I am sure that
you will agree with every word of it. Your understanding of the
situation does great credit to your insight. That is, if I may use the
term, the esoteric side of the question. It is only on the external and
material side that it is really a _Daily Lyre's_ war. There's really
no contradiction, none at all, as you see."
"Oh! none at all," said Sam, with a sigh of relief. "I never quite
understood it before, and you make it all so clear!"
"Now you will be prepared by what I have said to comprehend that it's
just in this line of creating the news beforehand that we want to make
use of you, and at the same time it will be the making of you, do you
see?"
"Not quite," said Sam. "How do you mean?"
"Why, we understand that you're a most promising military man and that
you intend to distinguish yourself. Suppose you do, what good will it
do, if nobody ever hears of it? Doesn't your idea of heroism include a
certain degree of appreciation?"
"Yes."
"Of publicity, I may say?"
Sam nodded assent.
"Or even in plain newspaper talk, of advertising?"
"I shouldn't quite like to be advertised," said Sam uneasily.
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